Inversion
by SparklyLarry
Summary: They defeated dragons, now it's time to pal up and have a party! The next morning, four Dragon Slayers wake up with wrong guildmarks on wrong shoulders in wrong rooms... "Natsu, you're okay? You are being weirder than usual." But Rogue ignores the question addressed to him by the blonde Celestial Mage. He just stares at big round eyes and salmon hair... his reflection.
1. A Dim Collage

**Inversion**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter One

 **A Dim Collage**

The hangover from last night is splitting his head into pieces like a hammer smashes crystal balls. Yesterday party was... remarkable. That's the right word to describe the madness that took place in the particular guild on July 9th. Had anyone told him yesterday morning that a human can drink 13 bottles of rum and vodka in a row, the Dragon Slayer would have laughed in his face. Well, he probably would not have been that rude, but nevertheless the statement would have appeared absolutely ridiculous. The male had been sticking to this conviction up to the evening of the same day. Doubts started to nag at him after the fellow Dragon Slayers forced the third bottle down his throat. If everything was more or less clear up to the fifth portion, then the sixth one turned the world upside down. Flying cats were crawling dogs and crushing fists were tickling feathers. The Dragon Slayer learnt that hard liquors could talk and even sing after the eighth bottle. The next one was emptied too quickly to have any special effect on him.

Another moan escapes the mage as he tries to raise his head. Bad move. Instead, the male collapses back into the pillow. The terrible reek of alcohol stings the sensitive nose. Realization that he is the very source of the foul smell disgusts and troubles the man much more the the stink itself. To think that he, of all people, would be three sheets to the wind! True, the mage is not alone in his misery, but still the idea appalls. He can imagine Sting in a situation like this, his face purple and twisted in pain. But he? The sensible one? What's happening to the world they know? Did they not save it from destruction? Grimacing and muffling up in a soft clean blanket, the Dragon Slayer racks his brains in order to recollect the previous day.

 _July 9, X791. 6 p.m._

 _"Hey, guys! Watcha doing here?"_

 _Sabertooth mages turned to face the grinning Dragon Slayer who had defeated them singlehandedly just a few days ago. Like them, he was still covered in bandages, but no bruise or wound could dim his cheerfulness. Rogue gave him a curt nod while Sting broke into a toothy smile of his own._

 _"Yo, Natsu! Err... I kinda wanted to talk to your old man..." upon saying it the blonde received a nudge in the ribs. Glaring at his nonchalant partner, the White Dragon Slayer reluctantly corrected himself. "I mean your master. Ya know... To get a piece of advice or something on... mastering the guild!"_

 _"You're the new master of Sabertooth?!" Natsu shouted incredulously. "Not fare!"_

 _"What Natsu wants to say," the scarlet-haired Fairy hovered over Salamander like a mountain, " is 'Congratulations, Eucliffe! We hope that you will be a great master to your guild'. Isn't that right, Natsu?" she asked strictly, her brows furrowed._

 _"Yes, ma'am!"_

 _"Good," the atmosphere loosened up after Titania left the three. The Twin Dragon Slayers shared an uneasy look, the same thought crossing their minds. Had it been Erza fighting them four days ago, they would have still been unconscious with their bones crushed._

 _"Jeez... She reminds me of our Milady," Sting whispered in awe, watching her retreating back._

 _"Hey, losers!" a heavy arm landed on Rogue's shoulder, causing him to tense. The Shadow Dragon Slayer was not sure he was ready for that encounter. Suppressing a sigh, the dark male greeted the man he used to idolize._

 _"Good evening, Gajeel," keeping his face neutral he said briefly. It took him some self-control to ignore the nasty snigger._

 _"Not that cocky, I see. Great," the Metal Dragon Slayer remarked with a smug smirk. A blank stare was all he got for an answer. "Gee-hee. Easy here, I'm kidding. So," red eyes focused on the blonde. "Sabertooth Master, huh?"_

 _"Yeah," considering Sting's big ego, the intonation he used could be called somewhat diffident. At least, it lacked the usual haughtiness, that was an improvement._

 _"Don't follow in the bastard's footsteps, 'coz then it will be me kicking your butts," the warning in his suddenly serious voice was crystal clear. "Believe me, Salamander's attacks will seem like child's antics in comparison to the hell that awaits you."_

 _"Hey!" the said salmon-haired male yelled indignantly. "Wanna know what the real hell feels like?! I'm all fired out now, metal freak!"_

 _"Bring it on!" a mad grin marred his lips. However, before the real combat could take place, the White Dragon Slayer got between the two._

 _"Yeah, yeah, that's all great, but tell me where to find your old man... p-please," Sting had some difficulty pronouncing this word and had almost skipped it altogether. "Then be my guest and beat the crap out of each other to your hearts' content!" he finished on a lighter note, smiling goofily. "By the way, I bet on you, buddy!" the blonde cheered, clapping Natsu on the shoulder. The similarities between the two were striking even if they denied it, because Dragneel responded with the same toothy grin and sneered. "Care to lay your bets, Rogue?"_

 _"No," the Shadow Dragon Slayer refused in a brief manner, shutting his eyes to three - Gajeel's reproachful, Natsu's exultant and Sting's annoyed - glares directed at him._

 _"Anyway, what do you want with Gramps?" the Metal Dragon Slayer inquired, too bored with trying to outstare the impassive Tiger. "He's kinda busy drinking his ass off. Gee-hee. That reminds me, pals. The four of us have some unfinished business."_

 _Rogue became rigid, not liking the Fairy's solemn tone. A premonition that it had something to do with fighting kept swirling in the mind. Not that he didn't want a rematch. In fact, the dark male could not wait to fight Gajeel again and win. But the Shadow Dragon Slayer was not reckless like his blonde partner. He needed training, a lot of training. Rogue would not fight Redfox unless he's one hundred per cent sure in his victory. At the moment the dark male was anything but ready._

 _The Shadow Dragon Slayer didn't notice how he had spaced out pondering over the ways to avoid the fight. In the interim, the other three were discussing something animatedly. Little did Rogue know that his apprehensions were needless, for Fate had a few direr things in store for him. Just as the male was finally coming up with a plan, his cloak was unceremoniously grabbed from behind, resulting in him being pulled like a sack towards the Fairy Tail guild._

 _"What's going on, Sting?!" the Shadow Dragon Slayer struggled to break free, but the three just casted ominous smirks at him and kept on dragging the frowning male. "Sting, let me go. Now," a threatening growl, that usually put the blonde on guard, escaped Rogue's throat; though, his partner paid no attention to him._

 _"Calm down, Ryos," if anything, Gajeel's wild grin was only giving the Shadow Dragon Slayer more reasons to panic._

 _"Yeap! We had a bad start, guys. It's time to make amends!" Natsu chimed in with his fist raised high. The same mad smile was twisting his lips. At last, Sting spared a mischievous look at his guildmate and burst out boisterously._

 _"The-Dragon-Slayers-Bros' Palling-up Party!"_

 _Rogue was right to be appalled at the words. Though, he would not realize it until the following morning..._

 _..._ Back to July 10th. Accurate time is yet to be defined.

Up to that moment Rogue can recollect the recent events quite confidently. The first bottle, that was forced down his throat by Gajeel after the point-blank refusal to touch any liquor, made things a bit foggy. Another moan. This time hangover is not its only cause. His cheeks turn red at some memories of last night... Like when the Shadow Dragon Slayer read out an improvised poem about frogs in love and falling stars. Was it the third or the forth bottle to blame? Definitely the forth. He had to be pretty much drunk to act like an idiot. Sighing, Rogue hides his face in shame under the blanket. Looks like embarrassment will be the only thing the dark male is going to endure this week. How many people have seen him in this state? His teeth clench at the idea of Fairies mocking him. The next thought terrifies him even more. There was his annoying best friend who would rather starve himself to death than miss an opportunity to tease the partner. Rogue will probably hear no end of the most embarrassing night in his life... Along with half of Fiore. A realistic image of Sting retelling the events of 'Palling-up Party' with all the colourful details to every passer-by pops in the dark male's head. What a disaster. The so-called 'Dragon Slayers Bros' will pay.

A new wave of nausea hits Rogue and he gulps down the bile. Never before has he felt so pathetic and disgusting. This hangover is not much better than a motion sickness... Okay, he'll admit, maybe just a little. Still, it sucks. As the Shadow Dragon Slayer floats in the jelly that is his mind, he remembers the tenth bottle. That one was the biggest. Sting suggested jubilizing it in a drinking contest. The blonde and the salmon-haired mage were the first to empty their portions. As to Gajeel and Rogue, they took it more seriously... The dark male shakes his head in disbelief, his eyes turning into saucers. His memory must be playing tricks on him. He couldn't have possibly crawled into a barrel full of beer and drink it from inside! ...could he? No way. Whatever his other misadventures in the period between tenth and twelfth bottles were, Rogue's consciousness was veiled by a thick cloud of drunkenness.

But the Shadow Dragon Slayer recollects something else... their last, thirteenth, bottle. A dusty dark green veil that Natsu filched from Fairy Tail Master's personal store, for by that time the four of them had run out of alcohol. The liquor had a funny smell. Now that Rogue contemplates it, the drink's hue was even less appetizing. But back then the Dragon Slayers were at the stage when trifles like smell and color didn't matter. Obviously, they shared the trophy. Then there is a gap in the male's memory. Either he lost consciousness or reached the final condition of the party - absolute oblivion. Hell, Rogue has no idea how has even come here! Which reminds... Here is where...? The linens' vanilla odour is not familiar.

Taking in a deep breath, the dark male risks to open his bloodshot eyes. Surprisingly, it is easier than he expected. Carefully, the mage slowly takes in the surrounding from his horizontal position. The breeze idly plays with light curtains above him, meaning he is lying on some bed under an open window. Check. That's not the hotel where Sting and he had a room; Rogue remembered their beds being in the corners. Neither was it a guild hall. The pillows and blankets are too clean and comfy for public use. His sensitive nose easily recognizes the sea salt in the air, hence he is still in Magnolia. The remaining question is where exactly. Aware of the risks, Rogue still manages to raise a head a bit, just enough to scan the place. Judging by the light colors that dominate in the apartment, pleasant fruit scents that flow in the air (well, excluding his own stench) and general neatness, the Tiger draws up a conclusion that he's currently in a female's room. A girl's room. Something doesn't sound right... He tries again to formulate the idea. The Shadow Dragon Slayer wakes up to find himself in bed in the girl's apartment after being drunk to the point of acting out of character. The male pales as a few possible outcomes of the previous night savage his mind. What the hell has he done after the thirteenth bottle!?

All of a sudden the door squeaks open, the noise makes Rogue cringe. A blonde head peeks out of a bathroom. It takes the Dragon Slayer a few seconds to recognize the Celestial Wizard from Fairy Tail who doesn't fail to notice that he is awake. In an instant she stomps over to the bed with her arms crossed. There is a displeased line between the chocolate eyes that alerts the dark male. What is even more concerning, the girl in front of him isn't wearing any clothes. A white towel around her can be hardly called a garment. The gears in his head start to tick over again. Rogue doesn't like, not for a bit, where the logic leads him. Anxiety is efficiently ejecting all other feelings from him, so the mage even forgets to blush when the... well endowed blonde bents down and looks intently at him. Blinking back, the Dragon Slayer dumbly awaits the verdict. If a crease on her face is any indication, than Heartfilia is pissed off... She will kill him. Fairy Tail will kill him. Unpleasant and surprisingly vivid images of his near future run through the head...

 _"How dare you to defile our dear Lucy?" the guild master, that has turned into a giant monster, roars at the wretched pile on the floor that is Rogue... or rather what's left of him. "Sabertooth has taken advantage of our hospitality and hurt the member of our family! It is a war!"_

 _"Unforgivable!" red-haired Titania with hundreds of swords floating around her points an armored finger at the beaten Shadow Dragon Slayer. "Lucy, dear, how should I punish him? Do you want me to hit him really hard?"_

 _"No-no, Lucy! Let me burn him to a crisp!" laughing like a pyromaniac, Salamander suggests eagerly, his fists on fire._

 _"What about some juicy shish-kebab?" the ice mage flashes a deathly grin at the abuser, his daggers ready to cut._

 _"No," the Celestial Wizards shakes her head, blonde locks concealing the expression. Then she takes slow purposeful steps and stops right above prostrated Rogue, her eyes shimmering with malice. "This scum dishonoured me. It is only fair that he should feel my humiliation!" a dramatic pause follows. The male can feel his heart beating madly in the temples. "Tie him to a train!"_

 _It will the death of him..._

"Hello there! Don't you zone out when I'm talking to you! Tsk!"

Rogue snaps out of his nightmare to discover himself still alive. So... Maybe she isn't that mad at him. The blonde is blabbing about something and waving her hands exasperatedly, but the dark male is too dizzy to pay attention to her exclamations. Well, the blonde is definitely pissed off, but it doesn't look like she is going to torture him. What a relief! Though, the Shadow Dragon Slayer can't help thinking that the Celestial Wizard is too forgiving and kind-hearted for her own good. _I mean, I've encountered her just several times. During the first meeting Sting and I insulted her guild and friends... Next time my future self kind of blew a hole in her future self... And now I am having a hangover in her bed after who knows what! What an interesting relationship we've got._ Gradually coming back to his senses, Rogue finally becomes aware of him being shirtless. Heartfilia is still pacing about, clad in a towel. The belated flush at long last reaches his cheeks. The severity of the situation dawns upon him like an avalanche. _Damn it! Why is she so calm? It does not seem right. Hold on a second... Heartfilia is absolutely comfortable around me, even though she is wearing nothing but a towel. As if it were normal... What the hell have I told her yesterday?! Did I promise something? Did I blurt out some nonsense? Damn, I was so screwed. I won't be surprised if it turns out that I have proposed to her. The hell I can't remember a thing?! I am not drinking with Sting and Natsu ever again. What other follies have I done? For all I know, the drunk me could have changed a guild!_ That is unlikely, of course. Rogue could not have been that befuddled. Just to make sure he isn't completely lost, the Tiger casts a quick glance at his bare left shoulder and calms down. ...

...Bare. Without a guildmark.

His eyes widen in shock as he stares at his bare skin without the familiar black emblem. _No way..._ The Dragon Slayer immediately fixes his burning gaze on the puzzled at his sudden burst of activity blonde. Grabbing her shoulders, as if catching at a straw, the Tiger (or maybe the former Tiger) grills the Fairy, his voice so hoarse from the liquor he doesn't recognize it.

"Where is my guildmark?! What has happened?! What am I doing here? Why...-" his hopes to get straight answers break on a fist to the face as Heartfilia sends him flying into the wall. And his head has just ceased to ache...

"Mavis..." the Celestial Mage pinches the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Why do you guys never listen to me? I've warned you like how many times now? ... five... ten times? But no! You just have to get drunk and make fools of yourselves! Urg! What crazy stuff were you drinking anyway!?" shaking her head and sighing deeply, the blonde just points at his other shoulder. Blinking, Rogue stares at the right arm.

"Is it some kind of a sick joke? Yes, it must be Sting's doing. Very funny, indeed," he replies in a dry voice, sarcasm dripping from every word. The Dragon Slayer stands up with as much dignity as a man in his state can and brushes the imaginary dust off himself. _Great, Sting. Your twisted sense of humor just kills me._ Rogue gives the blonde an appraising look. Before his face gets another chance to become beet-red, he quickly averts his eyes. _Well, Lucy has a right to play a prank on me. Let's call it her little revenge on me. I should admit, though, that her actor's skills are quite astonishing. For a moment there, I fell for it. Very convincing. I wonder, who is the mastermind behind the scheme. Somehow, I doubt that Sting could have thought it out so flawlessly. It is either Heartfilia or Gajeel._ Calming down, the Tiger allows a small smile to spread across his face. After all, it is Fairy Tail, the craziest guild in Fiore. He should have expected something like this. No need to overreact, just a friendly joke. Maybe, Sting has nothing to do with it and he is being tricked the same way right now by other Fairies. The idea draws a chuckle from the usually silent mage. Still smiling, he rubs the skin to wipe the fake Fairy Tail's mark off his right shoulder. "It was very convincing, Lucy. I am impressed," Rogue sincerely praises her efforts. Leaving aside the fact that he practically had a panic attack, the dark male is glad that there are no hard feelings between the blonde Celestial Mage and him. _Still... The towel is too much..._ A treacherous pink tint crawls up his cheeks once again.

"Huh?" the Shadow Dragon Slayer ignores a funny look Lucy is giving him as he tries to clean his skin from the red guildmark. "Um... You know it won't go, right? If you want it on the left shoulder that badly, just ask the master."

 _So, she won't shed the pretense? Very well. I wonder what she is going to do if I play along._ Shrugging, Rogue opens his mouth to reply.

"Sure. I planned to...-" something glitters behind the Celestial Wizard, stopping him in the middle of a sentence. Stepping aside to get a better look at the object, Rogue sees a tall mirror. A smile slides from his face as dread takes its place.

Black eyes of the salmon-haired mage stare back at him from the mirror, reflecting the Shadow Dragon Slayer's confusion and disbelief. Realization sinks in like a sharp needle as Rogue touches his head with a shacking hand. The mirror image of Salamander repeats the move. Frozen to the spot, he keeps on gaping at his reflection. The Celestial Wizard waves her hand in front of his blank face, trying in vain to gain his attention.

"Natsu, you're okay? You are being weirder than usual. Honestly! You should think before drinking funny stuff."

 **A/N:** So, I've just watched the episode 199 again. The scene where Sting was looking for Natsu to have a drink caught my attention, and the idea just popped into my head. Then I wondered, how it would look like if Rogue behaved like Natsu and vice verse... And here is the result)) I don't think the story will be very big. Probably five-six chapters, given the capricious inspiration doesn't leave me. Anyway, tell me what you think! I am currently obsessed (that's the only word to describe the state I've been in for the last four months x3) with RoLu, so the story focuses on this pairing. But you can probably guess that the two will interact in a... particular way xP

Anyway, enjoy!

 _P.S_. I humbly beg a pardon for all the mistakes my illiterate self does.


	2. Lights Out

**Inversion**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Two

 **Lights Out**

When the Light Dragon Slayer cracks his eyes open to find the world upside down, he isn't all that surprised. Dropping off to sleep with his body above the head is a usual routine, especially after some exhausting fights or parties. Actually, Sting expected this morning to be much worse. However, aside from irritating throbbing in his temples and an usual metallic after-taste in the mouth, he was actually fine. _Wow, that's a progress! Looks like I've learnt to handle my hangovers._ Satisfied with the accomplishment, the blonde gets up and stretches, his bones cracking due to the uncomfortable position he was slumbering in. _Man, that was a rough night. And I am starving!_ He is about to search for his clothes, but a delicious smell of something frying drives all the irrelevant thoughts out of mind. Following his scent, Sting quickly determines the source of the exciting aroma. It is coming from behind a small door that probably leads to a kitchen. Now his ears can even catch the lovely sound of sizzling bacon. A happy grin mars the blonde's lips. Sometimes, his partner may be a real pain in the ass and a complete bore. But in moments like these, Sting thanks all the gods for such a precise and level-headed friend like Rogue. It was the Shadow Dragon Slayer who usually took matters of accommodation and transport. So, the blonde didn't even bother to enter the hotel when Rogue was checking them in. He was right to trust the dark male with finding a suitable place to stay. There is even a kitchen in their room! But what the White Dragon Slayer appreciates even more, especially in the mornings, is his twin's cooking skills.

Yawning, Sting steps into the kitchen, his mouth open to greet the partner. But the tongue goes as he takes in the sight of a small blue-haired head in stead of Rogue's disheveled one. A short girl in a yellow apron stands over a cooker with her back turned to him. A round metal table for two is set in the corner. What an unexpected guest. Unexpected, but not undesired. Mischief slowly pushes stupefaction away. Leaning against the doorframe, Sting cracks one of the most charming smiles in his arsenal and addresses the midget, making her leap in surprise. His voice sounds somewhat lower than usual, but you can expect that much after thirteen bottles of strong stuff.

"Well, good morning, beauty! Room service is included, huh?" the White Dragon Slayer chuckles as the bluenette spins around, clasping a greased spatula. _Quite a cutie_ , Sting admits as he studies a funny expression on a small round face that's becoming more like a ripe tomato with every passing second. Upon noticing the blush, the Tiger gives her a playful wink and takes a peep at a frying-pan. Yeap, he guessed right. Bacon and eggs. Almost too perfect to be true. "Jeez, you're my savior, 'coz I'm starving!"

The girl stands rooted to the spot. When the high-spirited blonde comes up to the cooker and helps himself to a plate, hazel eyes pop out of her head. Sting shrugs off her strange behavior. _Jeez, the cutie just can't believe her luck that she has to cook for the Sabertooth Master himself._ "Care to join me?" he invites her to the table and puts the second plate to the place that is set for Rogue. Well, his partner is not here for breakfast anyway, so a short bluenette can keep him company instead. However, the said girl won't move. She just stares at him, round eyes blinking in confusion. "Hey, cutie, I'm not biting, ya know?"

Finally, his last remark has an effect and the midget snaps out of her stupor. A soft smile spreads across her face as she eagerly sits down.

"Yummm, that stuff is good!" the Tiger mumbles while chewing with gusto, causing the girl to giggle.

"I didn't know you like it so much! Well then, I can cook bacon more often," the bluenette brushes off the compliment and offers him the second helping, which Sting takes eagerly. The blonde is about to gobble another piece, but a fork freezes abruptly halfway to the mouth. With puzzlement engraved on his face, the blonde dumbly watches the midget putting more and more utensils next to his plate. There are about seven forks and ten table spoons now. But the climax takes place after she places a frying-pan, or rather an empty frying-pan, in front of him.

"Eerr... Thank you?"

A funny look the bluenette gives him matches his dumbfounded expression.

"What? No dessert today?" the bluenette voices her surprise. Sting blinks back at her.

"Hey, why not?! Dessert is all right!" the blonde pouts, crossing his arms. Again this funny look. _Jeez, what's her problem?_ The Tiger is not used to this kind of stares. People, especially girls, are supposed to cast glances full adoration or admiration at Sting Eucliffe. Not to stare in amusement as though there were a mushroom on his head!

"I thought so!" she finally chirps after an awkward pause and moves the empty pan closer to him. If his brows could raise higher, they would. _Okay... The bluenette here has some serious issues..._ The Tiger clears his throat and blurts out a question, a bit apprehensive about her answer.

"Um... Why do I have seven forks?" Sting regrets his words the moment the girl smacks her forehead.

"Ugh, sorry! You must be very hungry," while apologizing, she draws something with her hand in the air. "Solid word: Fork!" The next moment, a big 'FORK' made of forks flops down into the pile of other forks, causing Sting to drop the fork he was holding. _Why did I even ask about FORKS?! Man, I am never saying this freaking word again!_

Suddenly _,_ the atmosphere in the room becomes very creepy. With the short bluenette. And her... F-words. _What the hell is going on with me?!_ The blonde clasps his mouth in shock and shrinks back from the table as a strange feeling gets over him. Something is wrong. The midget must have had a hand in this predicament... Or maybe it was the food. Some crazy poison. Panic envelopes Sting as he clutches at his throat and stares at... _Don't say THIS word! Nope, just don't think about IT. Don't! ..._ stares at a f**k. The White Dragon Slayer tries to look away, but the insidious f**k just won't let him tear his gaze away. Like a magnet, the evil utensil pulls Sting closer. His body moves on its own, getting closer to IT. His arm jerks forward against his will. His hand grabs the f**k. _Where the hell is Rogue?! Dammit, I gonna die!_ But all Sting's attempts to throw IT away are futile, for his hand is implacable. The f**k is coming closer and closer to his face... The fear is scratching him from inside. The Sabertooth Master screams in terror in his mind, but there is nothing he can do...

The urge to eat the FORK is too strong. Finally, Sting gives up.

For a few minutes an eerie silence descends over the kitchen. Only the sound of someone's greedy hasty crunch is piercing the quietness.

...

"Umm... You're all right? You look... jumpy..." the midget's voice leaks concern. The White Dragon Slayer keeps quiet, disbelief written across his face. There he is, an empty table in front of him. Not a single f**k left. Not even a pan. Nothing. It is not until the Tiger gives a loud belch that he finally snaps out of his shock.

"Jumpy..? Who, me?! Why the hell should I be jumpy?" the blonde yells out, his arms shaking in rage. "I've just gorged a bunch of forks and a frying-pan! A bloody frying-pan! I am not jumpy! Not in the very least! Totally not! I'm absolutely OKAY about it! Just peachy!" all of a sudden, he starts to shout with hysterical laughter. "FORKS! Yeap, right! FORKS!"

"I still believe that spoons are better for you," the bluenette frowns slightly, but doesn't comment on his behavior.

"Spoons?" he manages to gasp while guffawing. "Oh, SPOONS!" another fit of laughter runs through him and Sting falls down to the floor. Yeap, he must be going crazy.

"It seems that Yukino was right..." the midget mutters under breath, but the Dragon Slayer catches her words. Pricking his ears, he sits bolt upright, a crazy smile gone.

"What's about Yukino?" the Tiger inquires in a dead serious voice. Sting rarely uses it, only when he is absolutely pissed off, and right now he is very close to this state. _I swear, if she has something to do with this incident...!_ A few ideas cross his mind as he muses on the retribution. A creepy smile tags the corners of his lips. _Oh, and if it turns out that Rogue is also involved - and he obviously is -... Aaa, I'm going to have a real fun with the two! But first thing first! I wanna know where the hell they got the damn potion to make me eat freaking f**ks!_

"Mm? Oh, that's nothing. She just warned me that you guys had some Dragon Slayers' party last night and may be... a bit weird. He-he, Yukino says that her guildmates - those Twin Dragon Slayers of Sabertooth - have passed out in the guild hall. When she awakened them, the two started to fight right away and wreaked havoc. Well, I don't know, but Yukino claims that they are never that pugnacious around each other," the bluenette explains nonchalantly, oblivious to the sudden change in Sting's face. He hasn't figured it out, but the gears in his head are set to motion, and the Tiger is slowly putting two and two together. At first, Sting was certain that it's the midget who's out of her tree, but after eating a bunch of F**Ks and a frying-pan he is not sure any longer. And the sixth sense keeps telling him that the bluenette, or his partner, has nothing to do with it. The root of the issue runs deeper. Even the nonsense the girl is telling him now starts to appear logical. "Guess what? Others laid bets on who's going to win, so our Master let the fight continue! I guess, the Tigers are still punching each other over there. I wonder, how much you guys drunk yesterday? Actually, that's the reason I came... Ummm... " the girl's cheeks tint a bit as she fidgets with the rim of her apron. "I-I was kind of worried, he-he. But it looks like everything's okay... Eer, mostly. I mean, you are a little off, but that's nothing you can't handle, right?"

The picture is almost complete. The bluenette's crazy story - about _him_ fighting Rogue _at this very moment in the guild hall_ \- shed some light on the ongoing madness. The first thing that crosses his mind is him being not real Sting but a piece of Sting's soul that got lost and so it solidified into a being of its own. But then, what Sting is genuine? The Sting who is in the guild or him, the Sting who ate a bunch of F**Ks? Now that he ponders over both versions of him, the blonde reaches a horrifying conclusion that neither of them resemble _the real Sting!_ Because Sting Eucliffe, the Light Dragon Slayer of Sabertooth, has no clue what buttons on his reserved and cool-headed partner to push to provoke a long fight. And Sting Eucliffe, the new Sabertooth Master, doesn't have a sudden urge to goggle twenty F**Ks and a frying pan. _It means, my self must have divided into three parts and I am one of the false ones... Does it mean that I have to disappear...? Hey! But I don't want to! What the FORK?! ... Have I just thought about THIS word? Dammit, I have. Bloody forks..._ Fortunately, the last piece to the crazy puzzle in Sting's headarrives in a form of the black Exceed.

"You are twenty minutes late, Gajeel," the cat with a sword scolds at him. "True warriors are always on time for the training. There are no excuses and no circumstances to delay them."

 _That's it!_ The White Dragon Slayer slaps his forehead for being so dense. Paying no attention to the sweatdropping bluenette and Exceed, Sting furiously ruffles his hair and touches weird nails in his face. To make it one hundred per cent sure, he checks his shoulder. Yeap, the Fairy Tail's guildmark. _Thank goodness! And here I thought I was out of my rocket crunching on forks! Jeez, I've just turned into the metal freak. By the way, where is my real body? Oh, right. It's fighting Rogue._ The Tiger's eyes widen at the realization. "What the hell is he doing with me!?" he roars out loud and runs out of the kitchen, leaving the dumbfounded guests behind. _The iron bastard must think of my body as a good armour! Yeah, sure, why not to let it be kicked and punched a time or two? Jeez, man! I am NOT iron!_ The ongoing fight is really perturbing him now. Gajeel must have been as confused as him to pick up a fight with Rogue, which means that he is not aware of him being in the Light Dragon Slayer's body that is NOT immune to punches. _Maaaaaan... He won't even block the attacks! I gonna have a black eye and lose some teeth. Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!_

Now that Sting pays more attention to the surroundings, he realizes that the place is too messy for an inn. His fastidious partner would have never stayed in a hotel where a barbed wire around the entrance door and iron bars on windows are for decoration. The Tiger hastily looks around the room, hoping to grab some clothes, but the scenery is made up of scrap metal and a lonely black carpet in the centre. There is something remotely resembling a wardrobe in the far corner, but the way is blocked by piles of damn iron. Vexed and pissed, Sting concludes that _his_ body is much more important than the decent appearance of _this_ body, so he leaves Gajeel's room to rush to Fairy Tail. He doesn't get far, though. As soon as he crosses the threshold, the world turns upside down again and the Sabertooth Master stares at the ceiling, a numb pain going through the back of his head. _What the FORK this time?!_ Grumbling and rubbing his aching neck, Sting sits up and glares daggers at a culprit of his fall. A dark green bottle nonchalantly rolls past his feet as if having nothing to do with the Tiger's tumble. _Bloody bottle. You gonna pay!_

A strange feeling of déjà vu invades the male as he is about to smash the thing into smithereens. Sting knits his brows down in concentration, trying to remember the stuff about the bottle. The glass beauty catches the sunlight as if winking at the Dragon Slayer. It hits him then. The thirteenth bottle! Gajeel must have taken it home. _Here we meet again, Greenie! Just so you know, your contents were plain disgusting!_ A familiar stench from last night finally reaches his nose. _Your reek's even worse than your taste. What are you, anyway?!_ They were too inebriated yesterday to actually care what to drink as long as it could be drunk. But now sober, Sting has his unappeasable curiosity back and he examines the bottle's label.

It reads:

 _Inversion_

 _X777_

 _Ingredients:_ _maaanndarin_ _, jackfruit, Olindias formosa, rosemarie, spirits._

 _Produced and bottled by Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki_

 _Blue Pegasus Guild, Fiore._

 _Indulge in the delicious perfume of Inversion!_

 _/_

 _Do not ingest!_

 _If the product is ingested then seek Luck's and Fate's help._

 _Side effects become permanent after being revealed to anybody but those affected._

 _/_

Blink. Blink.

His mouth agape, Sting rereads the label. The gravity of the situation smashes into his mind like tsunami, the next second he is already on the way to Fairy Tail. _FORK! I mean, CRAP! Yeap, guys... We're so very screwed..._ The Tiger couldn't run faster even if it were Death itself chasing him.

It doesn't take him long to reach Magnolia's outstanding guild, especially when its uproar can be heard from the other side of the town. The White Dragon Slayer doesn't even stop to catch a breath as every passing second is a risk to get stuck in the freaking iron body forever. He thrusts the doors open and at the same time dodges a flying chair. Nobody pays him attention, too engrossed in the commotion in the centre. _Looks like nobody has guessed yet!_ Letting out a sigh of relief, Sting shoves his way through the crowd of cheering Fairies to the front.

"'kay, pretty boy! How do you like THIS!?" a maniacal laughter rings out, followed by a groan. The White Dragon Slayer cringes upon hearing it. The groan is _too_ familiar.

"That's all you've got, little punk? I see you haven't learnt your lesson yet!" the same _too_ familiar voice retorts. _Damn Fairies, shooo! Outta my way!_

"Nope, pal! You're the one whose butt didn't get enough beating!" Rogue's cocky voice cries back. Another BUMP. _I hope it's not my face!_

"Move aside, will ya?!" the Light Dragon Slayer's snarls at a random Fairy in the way as his patience has been exhausted. The unfamiliar mage almost jumps out of skin upon seeing him and hastily disappears - literally - from the sight. _Well, well! At least, I'm kinda respected here now._ After much more elbowing, cursing and growling, Sting finally makes it to the centre... to witness the scene that makes him facepalm.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"Iron Dragon's Roar!"

The two yell simultaneously, probably expecting to see mesmerizing jets of flame and metal engulfing the opponent. Sting has to give them credit; their lungs are pretty impressive. The air bursts out of their mouthes and ruffles their hair. Considering them standing quite afar from each other, the puffs can be called somewhat powerful. The duo doesn't realize the predicament right away. Their cheeks become cherry red from the strain as they continue to blow. It's only when there is no more air left them that they stop to give one another incredulous looks.

"That's bound to happen if you drink too much," one of the Fairies next to Sting cackles quietly, a few other join her, oblivious to the death glare the real White Dragon Slayer gives them. _He_ can hold his liquor just fine! _It's bloody perfumes I can't handle, okay?!_

"What next? Maybe they'll try my magic too?" another one adds and soon the whole guild bursts in laughter. Deliberately punching the man it the back, the Tiger enters the improvised arena, drawing the attention of the 'Twin Dragon Slayers'. The dark one cracks a wide toothy grin and waves enthusiastically, while the blonde one gapes at him like a fish out of water - the stupid expression Sting would rather not see on his face.

"Yo, Gajeel!" "The HELL?!" the two shout in unison. The happy goofy smile that's plastered on the Shadow Dragon Slayer's usually impassive face creeps Sting out. His own blue eyes dig holes in him, jaws dropped.

"Hey, buddies!" with a smug smirk playing on his lips, the Sabertooth master dramatically stretches his arms towards the two. "I'm sorry, but... Iron Dragon's Claws!"

The guild stands still as the same thought runs through their heads. The Tigers were not the only ones off the rocket. An embarrassed cough that is always heard in the tense atmosphere doesn't fail to make an entrance. It's also followed by a sound of something dripping; this one is due to come when a barmaid is too preoccupied with the ongoing show to pay attention to the bottle she's holding. Aside from these minor noises, the guild hall is quiet. Not in an eerie way. It's more like someone's telling a joke and nobody is sure when the time to laugh comes.

"Ehh..?" Sting gives his hands a hurt look. _Shouldn't they turn into iron?! Come on, hands!_ "Iron Dragon's Fists? Iron Dragon's Arms? Iron Dragon's Hammers?... Iron Dragon's FORKS?! What the fork?!"

"Try 'Club'," as always his partner, even if he is technically not his real partner at the moment, comes to Sting's aid and chimes in helpfully. The Tiger lets out an uneasy chuckle.

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Thanks, buddy."

"You're welcome, pal," other Rogue gives him a thumb up.

"So then, Iron Dragon's Club!" fortunately, his arms do become metallic and extend, hitting the two dumbstruck Fairies in stomachs, their bodies flying like paper planes and smashing into the bar. A tall glass rings in annoyance as something black and white sweeps past, its thin glass reflecting faces twisted in pain. The whole guild watches in awe as their guests complete a perfect somersault above the heads and gracefully land head-first on the counter. The white-haired beauty, who was joyfully washing it through out the show, simply lifts their heads to clean the spot under them and carefully puts their faces back.

"He-he, that's our Gajeel for ya!" somebody cheers and in a moment the healthy hubbub returns to the place, filling it with usual noises of something cracking, splashing, splitting and exploding. "Hold on a sec! Does it mean we lose our bets?!"

Before anybody has a chance to bombard him with stupid questions, Sting rushes to the unconscious Dragon Slayers, throws them up his now broad shoulder and, winking at the stunning barmaid, gets out of the guild. Relief washes over him when he's away from Fairy Tail with two other misfortunate mages. _Man, that was close! Damn morons, they have almost given away the secret with their Roars! Well, at least I didn't look like a complete idiot... unlike Rogue. Speaking of... Where the hell is he?!_

Squeak... squeak... BUM. Squeak... squeak... BUM.

The light bathroom door is made of a cheap pinewood, it's not especially beautiful or durable, but it has been in this apartment for a very long time. The previous tenants never complained about it. They were pretty gentle, never shutting it or thrusting it open. Neither was the pinewood door scratched by pets or splintered by psychos. You may say that it has a very nice life... for a door, of course. It's Big Brother - the entrance door - was a different story, being constantly kicked by dirty feet, slammed into obnoxious faces, etc. The bathroom door, however, didn't comprehend why its colleague would squeak so miserably from time to time, as if it were sawed. _Did_ not. Today is the day the little pinewood door starts to get the idea about the hardships of real doors. Lucy is also an amiable tenant. She has painted pink and yellow flowers on its surface and was usually very gentle when closing it. So, this new treatment was a whole new stressful experience for the poor little bathroom door. The case is that it has become a barrier between two young people, neither of whom is in high-spirits. Outside, there is a pissed-off blonde, the door's tenant. Inside sits her salmon-haired guest, as sour as a lemon.

"Natsu! I won't repeat it twice-"

"No. It's the seventeenth time you tell me this."

His flat answer infuriates Lucy even more and she furiously bangs at the poor door, again. The jerk has occupied her bathroom and won't come out. She didn't object at first. Any sane person would like to have a shower in the morning, especially after a party... Some suspicions were crawling at the back of her mind, though. Because you don't just say 'Natsu' and 'shower' in the same sentence without any negative. Well, twenty minutes passed, but he hadn't left the bathroom. Being an understanding and _polite_ person, the Celestial Wizard kindly asked if everything was okay, at which she received a brief affirmation. So, she left it be. But then another twenty minutes flew by, and her irritation couldn't stand back any longer. It is OK for a girl to occupy the bathroom for half an hour in the morning. But it is absolutely ridiculous to allow a boy to have the same luxury! Forty minutes is a bit too much. _Oh, it's 55 minutes now._ Lucy has been trying to talk him into coming out for fifteen minutes now. Obviously, her efforts have been unsuccessful. _What's wrong with him?!_

"Damn it, Natsu! Quit my bathroom, _now!_ " she emphasizes the last word, for it always works with him and Gray. This time the girl wasn't so lucky. A brief 'No' is all she gets. _What the heck is he even doing there?_ The water has stopped flowing a long time ago, so the stupid Dragon Slayer was simply sitting there doing what?! Lucy can't remember if the frequency of her sighs has ever been greater than today. _Fine, now I'm totally mad at you!_ As malice poisons her originally good-natured self, the blonde starts to bang on the door more forcefully. His behavior irks the girl to no end, so maybe her pestering can get him. She won't stop knocking until the pink-headed idiot opens the door. _Just two more minutes and he'll run out yelling with his fists aflame!_

Five minutes. Seven. Ten. The only ones that get hurt and irritated are the Celestial Wizard, her poor hand and the pinewood door. At last, her fist is so sore that she can't even unclench it. "Oh, great! Now I can't have my manicure!" she whines, loud enough for Natsu to hear her. Silence. "Are you even alive there?"

"Yes."

"What the hell are you doing there?!" the blonde barks at him and kicks the door by her foot, as if it were Natsu's face. _You're so very dead when you are out of there! You can't hide in my bathroom forever!_

"Nothing."

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Lucy can't believe her ears. She is ignored once okay. _Okay, Lucy. Cool down. It's time to change tactics._ Taking a deep breath, the Celestial Wizard lets her anger out... not all of it, of course. But a few excessive drops pour out of her, and she is just calm enough to refrain from yelling. "Natsu?" he doesn't answer, but Lucy keeps on anyway. "I'll cook for you anything you want if you just come out of the bathroom."

Some movement can be heard from the inside and the Celestial Mage leans forward to catch more noises. ... Snort? "Did you just _snort_ at me?!" shedding all pretense of sweetness, Lucy's voice turns as sharp as a knife.

"Maybe."

"Are you implying my cooking is terrible?!" Silence. _And I thought I hated his long tongue! He's even more intolerable when quiet!_ "You pig! I'm never cooking for you ever again!" That's it. This threat is sure to work. The way to man's heart, or in this case head, lays through his stomach. Especially, if the man in question is Natsu whose stomach is as bottomless as an abyss. The blonde gleefully counts in her mind, anticipating. She is ready to give him a hard Lucy-Kick once he shows the insolent face of his. _One, two..._ The Celestial Mage stops on thirty three. She is being ignored. Again. Surprisingly, her exasperation slowly recedes into the background, giving way to the concern. Food is not something Natsu will disregard that easily. He must have a very serious reason to give it up. But then again, her best friend is not someone who worries too much. Quite the opposite. He is more like an exhaustible source of optimism that won't stop gushing even if you put a cork. So, Lucy just can't put her finger on the issue. "Please! Come out, we can talk it out, whatever the problem is!"

"No."

The retort sounds somewhat irritated now. All the sympathy the blonde sheltered a minute ago was ruthlessly banished. She suddenly remembers her last ace. A creepy grin twists her lips. _It's time to pull out the big guns._

 _Can't she stay quiet just for a few minutes?_

Rogue's palm connects with his face as he tries for the hundredth time this day to muse in _peace._ After he took a quick shower and plunged his head into the icy water, the Shadow Dragon Slayer checked himself in the mirror one more time. Still pink-haired and black-eyed. Well, at least he hadn't been hallucinating back there in the room. The male has to considerate his next moves very carefully now.

Should he reveal his identity? How does he get his body back? Were others affected as well? Where is the real Natsu? How is Frosh?

Tons of questions are still swarming inside his head. Rogue planned to stay out of the girl's sight to minimize the chance of giving himself away by acting strangely. Something keeps telling him that confessing to Lucy that he is not the Fire Dragon Slayer, but the very Rogue Cheney who kind of killed her a few days ago, won't end very well for him. Firstly, he needs to think it through. That's exactly what the Tiger intended to do. Ideas were just starting to take the form of something useful, when _'Hey, Natsu!', 'Are you fine, Natsu?', 'Come out, idiot!', 'What the heck, Natsu!'_ began. Heartfilia's loud and persistent voice kept on ringing in his head, blocking all the thoughts from coming. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many towels he used to shield his sensitive ears, the Tiger simply couldn't drown out her pesky voice. _Honestly, she can beat Sting at being the most annoying person in my black list._ When the blonde didn't talk, she banged. When she did not bang, she shouted. It is merely impossible to concentrate! Rogue's back is already sore from sitting in this uncomfortable pose on the cold bathroom floor. He's here for more than an hour. So far, the male hasn't come up with any plan. The Celestial Wizard's antics don't help. _Please, I beg you. Just keep quiet for a few minutes. I won't ask you for more. Please!_

Silence. The Shadow Dragon Slayer blinks in disbelief. Has Lucy actually stopped talking/knocking/shouting? That's too good to be true. Rogue has a hunch that it's too early to celebrate the victory. He has had the pleasure to know the blonde Fairy for about three hours now, but that was just enough for him to draw some conclusions. She won't give up that easily. The silence hangs over him like an executioner's axe, just biding its time to crash down. The quiet before the storm.

"Natsu?"

 _Here it comes._ Rogue braces himself for the worst. This sickly-sweet voice is something new, and it doesn't sound good. Not at all.

"I need to pee," comes her casual answer. A moan bursts out of the Tiger's throat. Fate must hate him. _No, I won't buy it. It's nothing but speculation. A dirty trick._ He won't buy it. No. But his resolution doesn't make the things any better. Now Heartfilia will not only exasperate the Dragon Slayer, but make him feel awkward and embarrassed as well. "It's really urgent," the hateful heat is already baking his cheeks in gloating delight. _This girl will be the death of me._

"No, it's not," he squeezes the quiet retort out, doing his best to conceal the uneasiness in the tone. Unfortunately, the blonde catches the notes of weakness and feasts on them like a ravenous tiger. _I kind of understand my future self now..._ Lucy's voice is becoming more agitated with every word as she replies.

"Oh, yes, believe me it is! You know, two hours is pretty difficult to..."

Click.

The Fairy has broken the Tiger.

 _ **A/N:**_ _I can't believe I got such a response for the first chapter! Thank you all for reading, following, favoring and reviewing! I was like 'Huh?' when I saw all the feedback. It got me really inspired and excited, so I started to write the new chapter right away)) I'm so glad that you liked the idea! =P_

 _Anyway, here is the second chapter. I couldn't help adding Sting's POV, sorry if it's too long. But he is such a fun to write about! Well, I'm planning to focus more on Natsu aka Rogue, but other Dragon Slayers won't be out of the story)_

 _Hope you enjoy it!_

 _P.S. my humble apologies for stupid mistakes and lame grammar x3_


	3. Fusion

**Inversion**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Three

 **Fusion**

Skies lazily sprinkle town's roofs, squeezing out a few pitiful tears just to spite pedestrians. People raise their heads in annoyance and hasten to find a shelter. One of the citizens, a short confectioner who is famous for his delicious strawberry cakes, is especially downcast due to the weather. Passers-by usually drop in when its raining, having a cup of something hot and some dessert to warm up and wait till the sun comes out again. This time, however, the usual routine isn't happening. The confectioner cringes at the memory, sobbing quietly. The first customer today was knocked down by a blur of something black right before he could enter the cafeteria... The second one didn't even make it to the front, slipping as a fish fell down right on his head. And when the third customer tried to help him, a blue flying fur-ball attacked him from the air, snatched the fish and disappeared in the mist. No need to say that the whole scene made the small cafeteria look very unattractive. The business for today is ruined...

Not that it mattered the said blue fur-ball. Clasping three fat fishes, Happy cheerfully soars above Magnolia. The day has an astonishingly bright start! Natsu and other Dragon Slayers had some fun yesterday. Well, the Exceeds threw a party of their own. The blue Exceed was too exhausted to fly home earlier (or rather the blonde's apartment, for his partner had accidentally blown up their house before the Grand Magic Games, so they decided tostay over at Lucy's... and they would probably keep her company while their house is being repaired). Anyway, Happy spent the night in the guild and woke up to his favourite sound of somebody punching someone that wasn't him. Turned out, the Sabertooth mages had some fun fighting each other on the first floor. Sting's and Rogue's Exceeds were watching the commotion, too. All the guild members started to lay bets, so the cats followed along, their fishes at stake. Lector bet on the blonde, no surprise, but Happy was pretty much dumbfounded when Frosh just said 'Fro thinks so, too!', hence supported Sting as well. The blue Exceed found himself in a nasty situation. He was quite certain that the White Dragon Slayer would win, but other cats had been first to lay bets. As a result, Happy could go either for the dark male or a draw. The memories of the scary Shadow Dragon Slayer were still vivid, so the blue cat was a bit (VERY) reluctant to cheer him. Discouraged and dispirited, he voted for draw...

Life is a funny thing. One moment you are mourning over losing a tasty fish, the next moment you are happily carrying _three_ tasty fishes. Happy can't wait to boast about his luck. Speeding up, he flies towards Lucy's apartment.

"Natsu-u-u!" the blue Exceed calls to his partner joyously as he notices him in the window. _Uh huh, Natsu is going to like the news! Stupid Tigers lost to Gajeel just like they had lost to him! Maybe, he can challenge them again? Then I can win some more yummy fishes!_

The new peachy table-cloth covers a small table, blending in just perfectly with the room's palette. It makes the kitchen look cozy and tidy, a nice place to eat in peace. Actually, Lucy bought it long ago (what a ridiculously high price it had!), but never had the chance to finally spread it. So, here it is now! Fresh and new! The Celestial Wizard keeps a wary eye on the Fire Dragon Slayer as she sets the table, afraid of crumbles and drops staining her beautiful cloth. They kind of have a silent battle of prides, both pouting at each other: Natsu for being Lucy-Kicked upon leaving the bathroom, and Lucy for straining her ankle when he managed to half-block the famous kick. Neither of them apologized or said anything on the matter. But the blonde knows this game from her childhood. The first one to utter a word loses and ends up with a wounded ego. And she is pretty good at this game. Considering that her opponent is Natsu (also known as A Big Mouth That Never Shuts Up), Lucy is determined to claim the victory. But his behavior is beyond being simply suspicious now. Imagine her surprise when the table-cloth remains clean in Natsu's vicinity for more than five minutes. No snatching food from her plate. No legs on the table. This passiveness can't mean anything good. The Celestial Mage expected him to be extremely intolerable so that she would yell at him, giving up the victory. Seven minutes have passed. The table is still spotless, food's untouched. _Is he doing something behind my back?!_ At this point, Lucy is confident that the salmon-haired male must be salting her tea or peppering pancakes when she is not looking, because Natsu just does _not_ sit doing nothing, especially when offended. _Playing innocent, huh? Oh, fine! I'll bring you_ _to light!_ With a secret smirk playing on her lips, the blonde pretends to have a problem with turning over a pancake and looks away. She waits for a few seconds to catch the Fire Dragon Slayer red-handed. _One, two... Gotcha!_

"Ha!" she spins around and exclaims in triumph, her spatula pointing at him accusingly. Blink. Blink. "Huh?" Natsu just sits there with a blank expression, his left eyebrow slightly arched. "Fine, you win," Lucy accepts defeat grudgingly and flops down into the chair, starting to eat her pancakes in a challenging way as if daring the Dragon Slayer to comment. _Oh please, give me a good reason to yell at you! I'm so mad at you that I wanna cut you into pieces!_ Well, the Celestial Wizard hasn't been that agitated for a long time. There is something infuriating in Natsu not reacting in a... Natsu-Way. _He must be still suffering from the hangover... Anyway, serves him right!_

"May I have a fork, please?"

... Strawberry jam and a pancake jump in bewilderment right in the middle of Lucy's throat. Chocking, the blonde coughs violently, wondering if her ears played a trick on her. Did Natsu just say 'fork'? Fork like a utensil, used for eating? _Is he still drunk?_ She finally copes with her fit of coughs and gawks at him with watering eyes. The Fire Dragon Slayer stares back at her with a deep frown between black eyes. The blonde doesn't like this odd behavior. Well, she _doesn't complain_ about him becoming more civilized and well-mannered, but this change is too abrupt, sudden and unnatural. Once again, concern rubs at the back of her mind. Ignoring Natsu's mumble, Lucy reaches out across the table to feel his forehead.

"Hm... You may have a fever..." she mutters uncertainly. It's always difficult to say with the Fire Dragon Slayer. His body temperature is always above norm.

"Ugh... I'm okay. Just... tired?" Natsu's reply sounds more like a question, and the Celestial Wizard scolds him as if he were a naughty child.

"Cana warned you several times not to drink so much if you can't hold your liquor, dummy."

"I can," the salmon-haired male tries to rejoin, but Lucy slightly smacks the back of his head for talking back and keeps on reprimanding him. Natsu meekly shuts his mouth and looks away.

"Agh, what would you have done without me? A big child," the blonde puffs, clicking her tongue. She flicks his nose then and chuckles at the stupid expression on the male's face. _Who would have thought that sick_ _Natsu would be so resigned?_ The Celestial Mage secretly admits that she probably won't miss his more energetic side any time soon. _Though, I doubt that he'll be ill for more than a couple of days._ Sighing, she brews some herbs Porlyusica gave her with dark honey and adds milk into the concoction. To be honest, the taste is pretty much sickening. Even remembering the last time she caught a cold makes her wanna gag... But Natsu, of course, doesn't need to know it.

"What's that?" he inquires, taking a cautious sniff. Lucy crosses fingers.

"Something to make you feel better," the Celestial Wizard puts all the enthusiasm her voice can generate into the answer, hoping it will ensure her gullible partner. _Okay... Maybe be Luck doesn't favour me today._

"Thanks, but I am fine," the Fire Dragon Slayer declines politely after a long consideration and moves the cup away. The blonde narrows her eyes. Sick Natsu may be more obedient... but he is also more stubborn.

"Nope, you're evidently not," Lucy cuts him short, taking the cup and bringing it to his mouth which is firmly closed, lips pursed. "Natsu," threatening notes start to play a dangerous tune in her intonation. "Be a good boy and drink it."

"No. I'm not ill," the Dragon Slayer shakes his head and turns away. The Celestial Mage traces some irritation in her friend's tone and it irritates her all the more. _How dare he get annoyed at me?! I am the one who must be exasperated here!_

"Yes, you are, Natsu!" she finally loses her temper, her voice rising to an enraged scream. "Look at yourself! You've got all the symptoms! Or should I spell them for you? Fine, listen! a) depression..."

"I'm not depressed," the Dragon Slayer mutters through the clenched teeth, but Lucy deliberately ignores his words.

"...b) apathy,"

"Just fatigued."

"...c) spacing out,"

"Lost in thought for a moment."

"... d) poor appetite,"

"You've never given me a fork."

"Quit interrupting me!" she snaps, having enough of his flat comments. "I'm not done yet! Where was I... Right! e) droopy eyes..."

"Excuse me?!"

"... g) pa...-"

"You've missed 'f'."

"... _F_ ) passivism,"

"Not in the mood."

"...g) deliriousness and unusual mannerism,"

"Well, they forced thirteen bottles down my throat."

"...h)... Stop, what?!"

"You did not misheard me."

" _Thirteen_?! Natsu, are you crazy?!"

" _He_ is..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Weirdo. Anyway, h)... Oh, great! I forgot what I was about to say!"

"That's a relief."

When the words cease to be effective, a staring contest begins. Nobody wants to back up. After the verbal skirmish, Lucy is quite sure that fever isn't the reason behind Natsu's odd behavior (a sick person can't have that much energy to argue!). The only explanation her tired logic comes up with is excessive alcohol in his system that is probably forcing his brain cells to work in a reversed mode or something. _Thirteen bottles... No wonder he acts a bit different._ She wonders if there is a way to make a few after-effects, like not being a pig at the table, permanent... Anyway, it is beyond the point now whether Natsu is ill or not. They've started this fight over the concoction, and the Celestial Mage is determined to claim victory this time. This, and she just wants to see her dear partner's furious face after he drinks the stuff. Revenge is sweeter than milk chocolate, especially when heated. _That's what Natsu gets for breaking into my apartment in the middle of the night, drunk nonetheless! Oh, and for abusing my hospitality. And for locking himself in my bathroom for two hours. And for talking back when I wanted to help. In short, the jerk must suffer!_ The blonde can almost feel devil's horns popping out from her head and a black tail swishing impatiently behind. The salmon-haired mage watches in apprehension as she takes slow purposeful steps towards him, smiling innocently.

"Natsu, you'll drink this brew, right," the blonde states rather than asks.

"It is clear that I am not ill," his stubbornness laces the even voice. It's as if the Dragon Slayer can read her mind. Lucy's brows furrow further when he continues nonchalantly. "You simply want to humiliate. Your concern for my well-being is irrelevant."

"Wow... That takes a lot logic, you know," the girl utters under her breath and slightly purses lips. Still, her chin is high as she glares at him challengingly. "But it doesn't matter, because you _will_ drink it, Natsu."

"Oh?" this new habit of raising brows starts to get on her nerves, and the Celestial Wizard suppresses the urge to smack his face. Refraining from another remark, Lucy flings her small but tenacious hands at him, thin fingers running up and down his sides. _He is doomed!_ The Fire Dragon Slayer stands still, watching her with unruffled amusement as a malicious smirk eventually slides from her face. _Huh?_

"Hey, I am tickling you!" Lucy cries in despair and silent anger. Inconspicuous annoyance she had before has grown into a giant exasperation that walks freely along her face features.

"Yes, I can see that," Natsu shrugs indifferently. Well, the blonde would have been flabbergasted were she not so galled at the moment. There is a thing called axiom. Like when Lucy tickles her best friend, he rolls about and begs her to stop. It works that way. Natsu does _not_ laughs at the futile attempts. _She_ is always the one laughing. Gritting teeth, the Celestial Mage pokes his sides so furiously that it hurts her fingers. An idea to give up seems very alluring a few minutes later, and Lucy almost succumbs to it... When accidentally her hand slips and she jabs his stomach instead of ribs. The Dragon Slayer suddenly becomes stiff and serious as though skies are about to fall. They blink at each other in confusion. _Oh?_ A sly fox that is Lucy's smile quietly threads its way to her lips. Panic smashes into her partner's face like a custard-pie, but he is too late to make an escape now. Pushing him backwards onto the sofa, the blonde traps the salmon-haired mage under her and begins a long, sweet, _hilarious_ torture... _Strange, though. I was sure it's not his stomach that's ticklish. Ah, who cares, anyway!_ And so her devilish fingers are mirthlessly chucking Natsu's abdomen as he squirms and wriggles under her like a caught snake.

"Hey! You're supposed to laugh, dummy! Neh, I'm not letting you go unless you laugh!" the Celestial Wizard cackles viciously as Natsu valiantly tries to contain himself. Snorts start to escape him, causing Lucy to nod contentedly.

"S-...stop-p..." the male's hoarse voice just fuels the blonde's mischief. A sugary smile flies at him.

"Um? Did you say something, Natsu? Can't hear ya!" she singsongs joyfully. Success, however, can be more dangerous and intoxicating than the strongest spirits. It makes boys overconfident. As to girls... They get the wrong idea of being omnipotent and muscular. Drunk on her triumph, Lucy fails to notice the Dragon Slayer cautiously moving his legs away... A chuckle dies on her lips as their places are suddenly reversed. Pouting at the male from underneath, she struggles to break free, but Natsu's grip is a firm one. But his hands aren't the main problem. It's the mage's expression that has her worried. Black eyes aren't just drilling holes in her. They are probably inaugurating the first Fiore's Freak-Lucy-Out Mining Company. Gulp. The blonde can only prey that her friend's imagination hasn't boosted after thirteen bottles. He was rarely creative with his revenge on her... But this onyx glare tells her differently... as well as his suddenly very hot hands. Natsu is all fired-up now. Literally.

"Ugh... Sorry?" the Celestial Wizards tries meekly. The Dragon Slayer doesn't budge a muscle, his face terrifyingly void of emotion. _Did I really piss him off that badly?_

Natsu would have probably come up with a dreadful plan 'Make-Lucy's-Life-Miserable', but Fate was in the mood for more fun that day. Of all the times the three Dragon Slayers could enter, of course they chose the most awkward one. Lucy doesn't even bother to sigh when her guests just intrude without knocking and via Natsu's favorite window. At the back of her mind, the blonde gets the idea of how the scene must look like, but the blush is late this time. Relief that her partner missed the chance to torture her outshines the embarrassment. She doesn't even wonder what the heck the Sabertooth mages along with Gajeel are doing in her apartment. Right now, Lucy wants to give them all a big bear hug for saving her from mad Natsu. The spell of quietness, however, is due to fall sooner or later. For a few blissful moments, the five just blink at each other, reality sinking into their heads at a leisurely pace. Lucy comes to her senses a bit earlier than others, the heat hastens to take its place on her cheeks. She moans inwardly at what is about to come next, imagining prankish Fate enjoying the show. _Hope you like it, jerk._

"Wow, eh... Ya lucky bastard, _Salamander_!" different expressions color the Dragon Slayers' faces, but Gajeel gets the creepiest one. The sofa suddenly seems too solid for Lucy. Why can't it just open under the blonde and save her from this disaster?! _And why the heck Natsu hasn't changed his position yet?!_ The Iron Dragon Slayer wriggles his metal brows suggestively at the two of them; the action freaks the girl even more. "How comes you end up with gorgeous Blondie and I'm stuck with a midget?" _What?_

"You've got problems with _your_ woman?" Lucy's express of thoughts doesn't take her very far as it crashes into the White Dragon Slayer's sharp remark. There is something threatening in the blond Tiger's tone. And that something sends shivers down her spine. She thought he had problems with Natsu, not Gajeel... But if the killing intent in his blue glare is any indication, the girl must have made wrong assumptions...

"Oh, _my_ woman? Ya mean the cutie there is _my girlfriend_? Well, well, sounds good to me!" Gajeel then clears his throat and adds uncertainly as if something is preventing him from sounding correct. "Gee-hee".

A loud smack distracts Lucy from the confusing ideas that cloud her mind; Natsu has finally let her go and sat up. His palm is glued to his forehead as he utters under breath, but loud enough for the girl to hear. "You must be kidding me... Seriously?" The Celestial Wizard is about to ask him what the heck is going on (because there's definitely something fishy taking place in _her_ apartment and she is the _only one_ who is absolutely lost), but a loud intimidating growl makes Lucy flinch and she quickly shuts her mouth. The Light Dragon Slayer is emitting a very dark aura, his eyes tearing ignorant Gajeel into pieces. Unconsciously, the Celestial Mage draws closer to her partner as trepidation prickles her insides. Somehow, she has misjudged the Twin Dragon Slayers... Well, the Tigers didn't strike as harmless kittens in the first place, but after the Grand Magic Games they appeared to be kind of... friendly? The blonde one even resembled Natsu... or rather Lucy thought he did. _Our guilds were getting along just fine during the ball. One would think it's a sign of friendship. Yeah, good job, Lucy! Keep dreaming._ Whatever has happened in the short period between the ball and today, there is not a single trace of amiability in the Tigers' looks. She wonders how Gajeel manages to stay in one piece under such a piercing glare. _Yeap, that's our Gajeel for you!_ Natsu doesn't seem to be perturbed by their animosity either. That fact calms her down a bit, but the Celestial Wizard is suddenly disturbed by an unrelenting feeling of being stared at. She bends her head slightly to determine the source of the uneasiness and almost jumps out of her skin as crimson eyes transfix her. Sitting on the window sill is... him, Rogue Cheney. It's not like she holds a grudge against him or something... All in all, it wasn't really her who died and it wasn't actually him who killed, but still. You don't just say 'Oh, hi! How's it going?' in this kind of situation. The open hostility in the intense blood-red look tends to make you a bit hesitant to warm up towards your murder-to-be. The damn shiver won't go. The instinct of self-preservation orders Lucy to nestle in the Fire Dragon Slayer's protective arms. The girl restrains herself from smirking as Rogue's eyes flare up upon her snuggling into Natsu. _Ha, not that scary any more, are you? He'll kick your butt again if you harass me, kitty!_

The train of thoughts has carried her away from reality for a moment or two. The Celestial Wizard hops off only when the voices at the background turn into shouts.

"Aha! _I_ must be in denial then!"

"Shut your mouth or I'll do it for ya, boy!"

"Seriously, a four-eyed cutie like her is _my_ type? Ha-ha, sorry-sorry! That's just a bit unexpected... Ha-ha... Shouldn't a guy like me have someone feisty like Blondie over there with Ro...- romantic Salamander? _Gee-hee._ "

"Gee-hee one more time and I'll gee-hee you."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Don't be mad at me, oh Great Sting Eucliffe! Who am I to challenge the great Light Dragon Slayer? You're too powerful for me!... _gee-hee... ..._ Fork, I AM sorry! Fork, it just slipped! Fork, what the fork with me saying fork?!.. No-no! I'm serious! I didn't mean that _gee-hee!_ Heee..!"

Lucy's brows twitch in annoyance. She has no clue what the fork... _Fork?!..._ umm... what the heck it was about, but the girl is very well aware of the two crazy Dragon Slayers running around _her_ apartment wrecking havoc.

"Excuse me," as expected, she doesn't get any response from the two. _Well, that was foolish._ Before Lucy can stand up and grab a frying pan, the salmon-haired male rapidly makes his way to the fellow Dragon Slayers and catches Gajeel by the collar. All four of them focus their blinking eyes on Natsu who heaves an exasperated sigh and punches the Iron Dragon Slayer. A groan about forks reaches their ears, but the pink-haired mage ignores it.

"I think we should _talk,_ " the Fire Dragon Slayer stresses the last word and looks at everyone present. The blonde mage nods solemnly, his arms crossed in a business-like manner.

"Yeah... Sounds like a plan to me," Lucy casts a worried glance at the Shadow Dragon Slayer who finally jumps off of the sill and comes up to the rest of them, his scorching orbs never leaving her partner. And then three pairs of eyes, plus the red one from the floor, fix upon the Celestial Wizard, causing her to step back from the intensity.

"Umm... What?" she giggles nervously under their unblinking stares.

"Dragon Slayers talk. Blondie's out," Gajeel croaks as he stands up and brushes off the imaginary dust. Others give curt affirmative nods. Lucy can only gape at them in disbelief. _You have the cheek to break into MY APARTMENT and kick me out?!_

"What?! If you think that-" before she can finish the sentence, Rogue sweeps the girl off her feet. She blinks in confusion as colors blend in her eyes. A moment later the dark male puts her down at the other side of the threshold.

"Buy us a snack or something, 'kay?"

Before the door is unceremoniously slammed in Lucy's face, two appalling things burn into her memory simultaneously. The first one is the familiar joyful cry 'Na-a-a-tsu!' and a blur of blue flashing behind Rogue's shoulder. She gets a glimpse of three wet fishes being flopped on the table... _her_ table that is covered by a clean peachy cloth. Her heart wrenches at the sight, but there is something else in store for her... Out of the blue, the Shadow Dragon Slayer, cracks a wide toothy grin at her. And slams the door. _Okay... That was creepy... It's like a maniac was smiling and chopping me at the same time. Eeek!_

It's still raining with drops singing stupid songs with roofs and puddles. No umbrella. No coat. No shoes. Does she have a reason to curse her luck? Nope. Because now Lucy has all the reasons to pay a visit to mighty Titania... and complain about certain _someone._

 **A/N:** Here comes Chapter Three! Actually, I didn't plan to stop here. But it'll turn into a monster if I continue)) Moreover, my Philosophy exam is tomorrow, so I should at least _pretend_ to study. There'll be no time tomorrow to do pleasant things like writing or reading (and by reading I don't mean Aristotle or Kant ._.)

Aaaah, you're all so sweet to read, fav, fol and rev this! You've no idea how much I appreciate it! He-he, anyway, Beware: Exceeds are on the way! ... and Erza... I'm not even sure who's gonna make it after her visit... It's not too late to change the genre and make it a tragedy)

Hope you enjoy!

 _P.S. Mistakes? Oh. Yeah. Right. Fork. So Sorry..._


	4. Black Out

**Inversion**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Four

 **Black Out**

A scarlet strawberry is merrily hopping on a pillow of whipped cream, chocolate sticks are gently rocking in a rosy sea of jam. Six layers of dark biscuit rest in a comfy box, protected from the hungry rain and adverse winds by numb arms of the Celestial Wizard. The confectioner was so excited to see the customer that he refrained from commenting on her appearance. And that she appreciated very much. It was also a relief that the short man agreed to charge her later, because, _obviously,_ there was no money in the pockets of her bathrobe. So, wet to the bone and barefooted, Lucy happily knocks on a giant door. A strawberry cake is safely holden under an armpit. A crafty plan has formed in the blonde's head, but she needs a crucial hero on her side to bring it to life. Erza just happens to be this person. The Celestial Mage frowns slightly when her red-haired friend doesn't open the door. As far as she knows, Titania doesn't go to the guild this early in the morning. _Is she asleep? ..._ The thought paralyzes her with fear. What if Lucy will... awaken her? _Maybe it's not too late to go away as if I've never knocked..._

"Lu!" a small hand lands on the blonde's shoulder, causing her to shriek with terror. "Hey, it's me! You're pretty nervous today, Lu!" The Celestial Wizard spins around to see a radiant face of Levy, her brows raised in amusement. "Do you want to visit Erza? She has left earlier. Something urgent, I guess. Master called for her. And no need to worry anyway. Erza is always the first to wake up," chuckling at the blonde's nervous expression, the bluenette quickly reassures her. Heaving a sigh of relief, Lucy finally relaxes and rubs the back of her head with an awkward smile.

"Hi, Levy. Sorry... I kind of wanted to set Erza on boys," the Celestial Wizard admits sheepishly and looks at the cake again. Suddenly, Levy grabs her hand and drags Lucy to her room, talking animatedly.

"Aaagh, since Erza is not here, you must talk to me! Lu, it's very urgent! You've got no idea what happened this morning!" the Script Mage has a strange dreamy face that makes the blonde wonder whether she has read something funny. _Looks like I'm not the only one who had an extraordinary morning..._

"Well...?" Lucy prompts her friend kindly as they enter the bluenette's room (also known as The-Book-Heaven) _._ Squealing with delight, Levy whirls round among the bookshelves like a little blue butterfly. The blonde can't restrain herself and breaks out giggling at the friend's happiness. One would think she were a bride or something. _That promises to be very amusing._ The interest immediately flares up, burning away the blonde's vex at stupid Dragon Slayers in her apartment. "Sooooo?! If my curiosity kills me and I drop dead, you'll be the one to blame, Levy!"

"Lu-u-u-u! I wanna fly! Guess what? I believe that someone likes me! I mean, like really like!" there is hardly enough room for such a wide smile on the bluenette's small face. Lucy rolls her eyes mockingly.

"Levy, seriously? _Someone?_ You're at the brink of exploding! There's only _one someone_ I know who can turn you into a ticking time-bomb," the Celestial Wizard laughs good-naturedly upon seeing a big red tomato instead of Levy's head. "Come on! _Everyone_ knows who this _someone_ is!"

"L-lucy!" the Script Mage whines self-consciously, but the blonde cackles all the more as the bluenette's frustration and embarrassment increase. "Every _one_ may... speculate about me liking this some _one_ , b-but he is the only _one_ who hasn't got it... Until today..." she mumbles the last words so shyly that Lucy has almost missed them due to the laughter. The sound immediately dies in the throat and the blonde pops her eyes at the bluenette who is, ostensibly, reading _'Beauty and the Beast'._

"Now that's plain cruel to hide behind a fictional romance when there's definitely something beautiful going on in real life! Spill it!" the Celestial Wizard gently tags Levy away from the bookshelves and seats her at the table.

"Well... ugh... I don't even know where to start..."

"Start with his name. Like, 'this morning Gajeel did this and that to me a-a-and...'," the blonde chortles and opens the box with the strawberry cake. _Since Erza isn't here anyway... A girl talk is a serious business and it must be done properly!_

"Ugh... So... You see... Umm... Okay, okay! Yukino told me that boys had a party and drank a bit too much. I-I was worried and decided to check G-Gajeel," the bluenette stammers, her fingers drawing little hearts on the table. "He was still asleep, so I made breakfast. I do sometimes cook for him, you know, when I have finished reading a book... or if there is nothing better to do..."

"Sure!" Lucy nods with mischief sparkling in her eyes. "If you say so! Sometimes. Sure." ' _Everyday' is surely a synonym for 'sometimes'._ The girl forces the remark to stay inside her mind. Her friend is already flustered. To keep on pushing her like this will be beyond mean. Instead, the blonde offers Levy an encouraging smirk and winks. "Okay..."

"Well, I have to keep an eye on Gajeel since he doesn't sleep in my bed unlike certain _someone_ ," the Script Mage singsongs innocently and flings a golden book at Lucy. Catching it out of reflex, she stares dumbly at the opened page with a picture. The blonde has to admit that the illustration is pretty beautiful. An artist drew an onyx dragon in crimson flames coiling around a young woman with fair hair. Lucy's eyes randomly run over the text. One sentence in particular gains her attention. ... _And every night he would steal a piece of her heart..._ Blink. Blink. And then...

"LEVY!" the Celestial Wizard drops the book and recoils from it as though it were on fire. Whatever is happening to her face, Lucy doesn't want to know about it. Actually, there is a full-blast battle between raging emotions taking place on her facial features. Explosions of fury and anger leave deep shell-holes between her darkened eyes while shots of bashfulness and diffidence scorch the cheeks. That's too much!

"What?" her friend beams at her, no trace of remorse in the shining look. " _Everyone_ knows that, Lu!" the bluenette gives Lucy a taste of her own medicine that is worse than merely bitter. It's _hot._

"I'm sorry! Let's just call us even and never mention it again!" the Celestial Mage quickly makes a peace offering, fighting valiantly the damn redness of her face. She is obviously loosing, but the blonde refuses to give up. "A-anyway, what happened next?" stirring the conversation away from her _someone_ and _her_ bed, Lucy pulls on a nervous smile, her foot inconspicuously closing the dropped book.

"Of course, Lu, I'm just kidding! So... Um... About this breakfast... You see, G-Gajeel usually doesn't comment on meals since he prefers frying pans and utensils. I mean, he does eat normal food, but that's it. Just eats. But today... I can't believe it! He complimented it! And it wasn't just 'not bad'! Nope! Gajeel ate all the bacon with such gusto as if he had never tried anything better! I thought I was going to burst up! Oh, and what's more... He kind of called me... cute..." by the time the bluenette finished the morning story, her face has softened and broken into a small content smile.

"Wow," Lucy is absolutely speechless. And just a little bit jealous. _Why do some guys become more romantic when drunk, while others only lock themselves in_ your _bathroom and sleep in_ your _bed!? Life is never fair!_ "That's probably why Gajeel was so cheerful today when he visited me along with those Twin Dragons...-"

"What?!" Levy cries incredulously, her eyes widening.

"Oh, right, you don't know..."

Fate is a funny thing, because you never know what it has in store for you. Don't expect or plan anything unless you want to experience the irony of life. Take, for example, the strawberry cake that is currently resting in the centre of a round table among two elegant cups and a fat teapot. Just a few minutes ago the dessert fancied it would be placed on a porcelain dish, cut into equal pieces and eaten gracefully by worthy ladies. Cakes of its calibre deserve a fate like this. But there is a big difference between 'a fate' and Fate. A fate is what you believe to happen in your life. As to Fate... Well, Fate just stages your life. Being a dessert, even the best one in Magnolia, the strawberry cake couldn't tell the difference between the two. As a result, it is pretty much disappointed to be stuck in a box and have teaspoons lazily delving into it, as the girls didn't bother to cut it or place on a plate. They are slowly disfiguring its intricate structure. What's worse, the two won't stop talking. The cake just wishes to become a rusk and tune out the annoying voices. Their incessant giggle, chuckle, gasp and whimper are turning cream sour. A sweet strawberry slides down from the creamy top like a golden crown rolls down from an overthrown king's bushy head. Humiliation. Hopelessness. From the cake's perceptive, the world is truly crumbling...

The Celestial Wizard cackles at the bluenette's witty remark and chucks the berry into her mouth.

...

Not that Rogue doesn't like to be hugged or snuggled. The concept of someone giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder or embracing him is fine. There is also nothing wrong with having an Exceed on your arm who pleads with you to do something foolish. What does trouble the Shadow Dragon Slayer is that a) the blue cat, who is currently strangling him with a hug, is not Frosh; b) the blue cat, who is currently begging him to go fishing, is not Frosh; and c) the blue cat is Happy. _I should probably add d). He's scared of real me. What a nuisance._

The blue Exceed joined the show just after Natsu _politely_ shoved the hostess out of her apartment. Everything seemed to be normal at first. Rogue kind of praised him ('Oh... good') when Happy bragged about outsmarting _stupid Sabertooth cats_ and showed his triumphs. The disaster happened afterwards. Real Natsu slammed the door and returned to the kitchen. The material his brains are made of must be very poor, because the moron just forgot about being in the Tiger's body even though his own Fire Dragon Slayer's body was giving him a cold stare. That's when 'Rogue' spread his arms and rushed toward the freaked out Exceed, grinning like a psycho. Frightened to death, Happy clutched at real Rogue's neck, crying right into his ear. Salamander didn't remember right away what the problem was and tried to draw the cat off, causing the Exceed to scream even louder. For the first time in his life the Shadow Dragon Slayer didn't feel the urge to punch his partner's face, for it was rather annoyed than amused. Fortunately, the Iron Dragon Slayer dragged Natsu away and beat some sense into him, leaving Rogue to cope with the terrified cat and roaring with laughter Sting.

"Natsu-u-u-u! Don't let him eat me!" Happy wails into his ear, wet paws squeezing the life out of the male. "I don't wanna die!"

"He... won't..." the Shadow Dragon Slayer wheezes out, feverishly thinking about a way to get the cat off him. "Why would he... eat you?" _Seriously... Why should I?_ He isn't sure about eating, but the idea of kicking the Exceed does appear very tempting.

"H-he's a vampire! H-have you seen his eyes? They are BLOOD-red! H-he drinks blood!" the cat then drivels on about the Shadow Dragon Slayer disemboweling him or something. Rogue tunes out when words 'moon' and 'monster' reach his ears. Eyebrows twitching in annoyance, the male does his best to control himself. His nerves have turned into thin strings, and a crazy guitarist, named Happy, decided to rock on them.

"What a nonsense," clenching his teeth and fists, the Tiger pours all the skepticism into his croaky voice. "Aren't his eyes red as well?" he tries to point at the rolling around 'Gajeel', whose _scary crimson orbs_ are watering from laughter. _Another point for my To-Do-List: punch Sting, hard this time._

"Gajeel is a vampire, too!" Happy whispers loudly as if revealing a horrendous secret, his big round eyes getting a mysterious glint. "Nobody knows, but our Gajeel is actually the one who turned this guy into a vampire! Now we know why they look so much alike!" by this moment everyone in the room, including three fishes on the table, has turned the head to give Happy an incredulous look. The blue Exceed doesn't feel discouraged, however. "The two train and hunt in secret when nobody is looking! They are looking for a new victim now, 'coz they need females among their kind. If you ask me, I think that it's gonna be Lucy. _He_ has already had a taste of her blood and _he_ liked it. And then-"

"The hell are you saying?!" Gajeel is the first one whose mind blows up. Judging by his voice, the Fairy Tail mage is beyond being mad. _Feels like someone's flocks are about to fly._ As to Rogue... he isn't exactly pissed off. The more accurate words are dumbstruck with ridicule. He simply can't come up with an answer. The blue cat said everything in a dead serious tone.

"Ha!" Happy exclaims proudly as he points an accusing paw at the blonde mage. "Natsu, we now know all the dark secrets of Sabertooth! I've infiltrated their ranks and learnt a lot of useful information!"

"Huh?" the four Dragon Slayers blink in confusion.

"Aye, sir! I talked to Lector and Frosh," the cat sniggers nastily. "The fools gave me away all their secrets!"

"D-did... did t-t-they... tell you... about... Rogue and _me_ being vampires?" panting and clasping his stomach, Sting manages to spit the question out. The Light Dragon Slayer's lungs obviously lack air from laughing so hard for fifteen or more minutes. Even his face has become a bit paler. Happy, though, probably relates his state to being appalled.

"Aye! No point to deny it! You may as well as confess in your crimes!"

"Ha-a... I-I c-confess!" Sting puffs from the floor. "You've g-got me there... I-I am a... a... a v-vampire!"

"Yeap, me too!" all of a sudden, Rogue's face bursts out laughing, and Natsu collapses on the floor next to the White Dragon Slayer. "Beware! I am a freaking vampire! I wanna drink your blood!" The two guffaw like morons they are and point at each other, laughing all the more upon seeing the faces of one another. Gajeel and Rogue share a brief look. _Idiots._

"Was it only Lector telling you things like that or was it Frosh as well?" sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, the Shadow Dragon Slayer inquires tiredly. Sting's imbecile is one thing. But Frosh?! The male can't believe that Fro would do that to him.

"Well..." Happy has finally let go off Rogue's numb neck and scratched his head in puzzlement. "Lector and I were the ones talking most of the time, but Frosh confirmed him from time to time." The Tiger moans inwardly. _Fro thinks so, too. Of course._ "Natsu! You promised me we would go fishing!" _Not again._ The Exceed has more or less calmed down about the whole vampire thing and begun to pester him again.

"Maybe later," Rogue hopes to wave him away simply like that, but this blue cat isn't his sweet and shy Fro. He won't stop pulling him.

"You liar! You promised me!" Happy yelps indignantly, small paws beating his shoulder.

"Yes, but I didn't say that it would be today, did I?" the Shadow Dragon Slayer has no desire to spend the day in the blue cat's company when he has so many things to work out. The Exceed gives him a hurt look and hits his arm again.

"You did! July 10th, afternoon! Liar!" the cat starts to get on the male's nerves at the point when massaging temples doesn't soothe the headache. This buzzing voice block all coherent thoughts in his mind. Why does Rogue always have to endure the company of loud garrulous people? He is like a magnet for windbags.

"Wanna go with me?!" panting, Natsu gets up from the floor and offers his Exceed a friendly grin... which is probably misinterpreted by Happy, for the cat shrieks in terror and flinches back in fear. "Hey! I'm not that bad, ya know! Maaan, it sucks to be so dark and sullen! How do _I_ even live like that?!"

"You are just fine," Rogue growls with narrowed eyes. "Happy, I have some... unfinished business with them. Can we go fishing... later?" the male suggests lamely. _Are all Fairy Tail members so obstinate?_

"When?" the persistent voice won't leave him in peace. The blue imbecile stares at him inquiringly, his paws akimbo as if he were lecturing a naughty child. "Whe-e-e-n?!" Happy repeats insistently when Rogue lingers over his answer.

"The day after tomorrow," he finally decides, cursing the stupid cat inside. Nodding in a business-like manner, the blue Exceed picks up his fishes with an air of importance.

"Aye, sir! But you are not out of it next time! Promise?" Happy confronts him. A curt nod doesn't satisfy the cat, though. "Say that you promise!"

"I promise," inhaling deeply, Rogue repeats dully. _Would he ever fly away?_

The blue Exceed takes his time. Before leaving, he doesn't forget to check the hostess' fridge (along with Sting and Natsu) and use some of the girl's perfume, explaining that Carla likes the scent very much. Rogue keeps his face buried in the palm as the two rummage about the kitchen, stuffing mouths with cookies and crackers. To see his own face doing those... Sting-ish things is plain disgusting. Then the cat snickers and whispers something into Sting's ear, causing him to grin. The Fire Dragon Slayer nags the Tiger about it, but the blonde in disguise just keeps smirking while searching for something in a drawer. Still sniggering, Happy says something about having fun and, at long last, takes his leave. Never before has Rogue felt such a relief upon seeing someone going away. It's like a constantly buzzing alarm clock in his head was finally turned off. Ironically, his partner's face is the only one that brights after the Exceed goes away. Obviously, Gajeel is not fond of the blue blabbering cat either. What cannot be said about the other two. Their bodies hover over something with an air of intrigue soaring around them.

"Idiots," the Shadow Dragon Slayer mutters under breath.

"You can say that again," currently blonde Gajeel nods, sitting down next to Rogue and leaning back. "I get it that you didn't tell Bunny Girl about this hell, did ya?" he asks casually as morons in _their_ bodies have completely forgotten about _the talk._ Though, Rogue doesn't complain. There was something disturbing in Natsu's now scarlet eyes when he entered the room... The Tiger can't tell for sure what emotion was boiling there, but maybe it's for the better that he doesn't find out.

"No," the male shakes his head. "I had a feeling it wouldn't do any good."

"Right you are, Ryos. That's a messy business we've got here. Looks like there are some brains beneath this pretty face," a wide grin twists the Iron Dragon Slayer's lips as he points at his blonde hair. He briefly relates Sting's discover and explains the predicament they are facing. Through out the talk Rogue keeps his face impassive, but there is a storm brewing inside him. _What the hell?_ When he first saw pink hair and round eyes, the Tiger hoped it would turn back to normal in a day or two. But the bottle's label doesn't contribute much to his expectations.

" _Seek Luck's and Fate's help?_ " he repeats slowly, digesting the information his mind refuses to accept. "Seriously? Not a word about some kind of antidote?" What seemed to be a nuisance is rapidly turning into a catastrophe. Images of him being stuck forever in Salamander's body among crazy people paralyzes him with trepidation. It's not that Fairy Tail revolts him or something. But in Sabertooth there is only Sting's erratic behaviour to cope with. In Fairy Tail there is a whole guild congested with people like him. To complete the nightmare with a cherry on the top, there are Happy and Lucy. The first one will turn his life into a living hell. As to the second one... she will make his life a _burning_ hell. And Rogue isn't even acquainted with other members of Fairy Tail. The chance of them being better is zero.

"Neh, we just have to keep our mouths shut about this crap and hope the side-effect will eventually wear off," Gajeel shrugs being suspiciously calm about it.

"This accident doesn't seem to perturb you much," the Shadow Dragon Slayer remarks quietly and then adds with a small smirk adjourning his lips. "One could get an idea that you enjoy it."

"Don't piss me off, boy," the Fairy Tail mage casts him a sharp look, but Rogue is used to Sting's threatening expressions. His face anything but intimidating. "I'm not thrilled about being Blondie. But we've got to deal with this crap, not to fool around. However..." Gajeel then cracks a wild grin. "It's gonna be fun to mess with other Tigers. But I feel sorry for you, buddy. You're gonna look like an idiot," the Iron Dragon Slayer deadpanned, nodding towards his guffawing guildmate.

"I've already resigned myself to the inevitable," Rogue murmurs, closing his eyes as if to banish embarrassing images of Natsu ruining his reputation in Sabertooth. "Just... Knock him out from time to time. Please."

"No problem, Ryos."

"Rogue."

"Gee-hee. Whatever, _Salamander_."

Another burst of laughter attracts Dragon Slayers' attention; they fling annoyed glances at the morons with their faces who are still examining something in the drawer. Curiosity is like a proud cat that's treading around fresh fish. It's pacing at the back of your mind in a matter-of-fact way, swishing its long tail as if it's not a bit interested in what happens. Then, step by step, curiosity gets your nose closer to the thing in question, with you still confident that you don't even want to look at the stuff. Before you know it, your eyes are already glued to the _absolutely uninteresting_ thing. Neither Rogue nor Gajeel notice how they stand up and wordlessly come up to their friends. The Shadow Dragon Slayer peeks from behind his partner's shoulder. Black eyes become even rounder. All pretense gone, the Tiger's look eagerly roams over the object.

The guests are so engrossed that they fail to notice the fifth one who has stealthy entered through the window and approached the group from behind. The newcomer is about to confront the Dragon Slayers... But curiosity is a very common feature among humans. The fifth guest can't escape its clutches either... So, another pair of inquisitive eyes silently joins the company.

 _...Fifteen minutes later..._

"But that is not true! I did it, because that is what rules abide us to do!"

Time seems to slow down as the four slowly raise their heads and exchange blank looks. They stare at each other intently, trying to determine the source of the strict female voice. All of them are stuck in somebody else's bodies, but they are still males. No one has become a woman. A train of thoughts runs to the logical conclusion that it must have been said by somebody else. Gulping, the four turn around to face the newcomer.

"Erza!" Natsu yelps in surprise, rapidly shutting the notebook the four... or rather five of them were eagerly reading a few moments ago. Lucy's ' _Book of Inspiration_ ', which contains the girl's opinion on many events and _people,_ is suddenly forgotten as males try to get as far away from it as possible without moving and causing suspicion. Rogue inwardly curses his luck and curiosity. _Why did I even come there?_ Though, a small part of his mind is still dying to learn more... There were some amusing stories he would like to read later... Meanwhile, the red-haired Fairy is skinning them alive with her keen glare. Her almond eyes linger on the Shadow Dragon Slayer for a minute. Bracing himself, Rogue stoically looks back, not daring to blink. Finally, Titania decides that he has passed the test and nods approvingly. He has no idea what the test was about, but it _was_ a test, no doubt about it. And there's no telling what would have happened to him, had the male failed it.

"Cheney," the said man tenses subconsciously even though the burning stare is not directed at him. The Iron Dragon Slayer nudges oblivious Natsu.

"Oh, right! Yeah?" rubbing his neck, the fire mage asks Erza uneasily. Almond eyes do not relent.

"Out," the scarlet-haired girl orders tersely.

"Huh?"

"You too, Gajeel".

"Whaa-?!"

"Yes?" a spark that must have escaped from Death's scythe flashes in Titania's orbs as she half-turns to the two gaping Dragon Slayers. "Any objections?"

"Nope!" the two chirp in unison and instantly jump out of the window. Silence. A long awaited quietness isn't that welcomed now with the red-haired Fairy a few steps away from him. _Has she... learnt about me not being Natsu?_ Erza must think of him as a spy or something. Or worse, she is aware about him getting drunk... and sleeping in the blonde's bed. Well, Rogue can't blame her. Any sane person would jump to _these_ conclusions...

"Where is Lucy?" Titania asks out out of the blue, flabbergasting the Shadow Dragon Slayer who was carefully thinking through his explanations.

"Um... You see..." Gajeel shoots a quick glance at the Tiger, seeking his help.

"Rogue..."

"Kinda..."

"Asked her to..."

"Go out...?"

"Right," Rogue finishes with a straight face. Titania's eyebrow twists in puzzlement.

"Why?" she inquires slowly, digging holes in the two. When fantasy runs out of energy, its time to use the only ace you always have. Truth.

"We needed to talk without her."

"Dragon Slayers' business," Gajeel immediately catches up. They quickly see the first signs of Erza frowning and hasten to complete their ridiculous, but somehow valid, explanation.

"It is quite embarrassing."

"Yeah, no kidding. The girl doesn't want to hear about it."

"Of course not. For example, there are...-" Fortunately, Fate has had enough fun and taken pity on the Shadow Dragon Slayer who had no idea what awkward thing to say. His expectations come true as Erza interrupts him before he can continue.

"Fine!" with a face matching her hair, all-mighty Titania stands abashed and avoids meeting their eyes. _I wonder what's going on in her head..._ "Anyway, it's even better that Lucy is not present here." The males frown in confusion. "Master has told me some troubling news. It concerns both our guilds," she throws a meaningful glance at blonde Gajeel. "Friends from the Magic Council contacted Master. To put it mildly, most members were not thrilled to learn about the dragons and Future Rogue." _Of course._ The Tiger suppresses a sigh. This reaction was expected. "Nothing is for sure yet, but there are rumors that they want to put present Rogue Cheney in jail".

 _"What?!"_ the said male didn't plan to exclaim it out loud, but the emotions got the better of him. There is too much indignation and frustration boiling inside. He wouldn't have judged them had they killed him during the battle. But now, after everything Sabertooth, Fairy Tail and many other people had to endure to win?! That is outrageous! They suffered to save him as well. And now they are telling it's all irrelevant and useless?! There is also another thing vexing the Tiger. "Why don't you tell Rogue about it?" he approaches the red-haired Fairy with a bold question.

"Master doesn't want Cheney to doubt himself," Titania begins to explain, but the Tiger doesn't let her finish.

"In other words, you don't trust him," he states in a dry voice. Even though the Dragon Slayer realizes that he shouldn't hold it against them, the news frustrate him. It's like the shadow that is his future and everyone's past keeps on hounding Rogue. People will look at him, but they will see _the Rogue_. The one who destroyed their town, caused their friends to suffer. Or killed them, directly and indirectly.

"Calm down, _Salamander,_ " Gajeel darts a meaningful glare at the Shadow Dragon Slayer. "It has nothing to do with trust."

"Oh, really?" sarcasm bitters his voice as Rogue stares back at the Fairies in defiance. "It's concern then, right?"

"Natsu, I understand your resentment. I don't like it either. But Master is right. The rumors are just rumors. Cheney had had enough. Do you want him to know that many people hate and fear him?" Erza's eyes soften a bit as she justify's Makarov's decision. _Yes, I do._ His glower doesn't go away when the scarlet-haired girl keeps on reasoning with him. "Our job is to prevent it from happening. Sting, Master asked you to keep an eye on your partner. He trusts you to help Cheney in case he is possessed by the Shadow. The Council can make a move soon and infiltrate spies into Sabertooth. You should be ready. Look closely at new members and... try to keep Cheney at bay, so that he won't raise suspicions". A dark look passes between the two Dragon Slayers. _'Rogue's_ ' behaviour is expected to be utterly shady for some time. "That's not all," a deep line furrows Titania's forehead as she addresses the Tiger, her voice grave. In fact, at the moment Rogue can't care less about what she's got to say regarding Fairy Tail. He heard the _most interesting_ part and he just wants to walk away from the two to muse on the news in peace and quiet. Keeping his impatience and irritation in, the Shadow Dragon Slayers reluctantly sits down to hear her out.

"What's it?"

"Rogue Cheney is not the only one the Magic Council blames," Titania's voice trembles with rage, but she contains herself. The statement picks up his interest a bit and Rogue cocks an ear to the Fairy's words. "The Royal Family has had a hand in the incident, of course. But the Council wouldn't dare to mess with the King. They've got another scapegoat, or rather scapegoats. The Celestial Wizards."

"What?!" both Rogue and Gajeel shout in astonishment. The idea just won't settle in the Tiger's mind. _I don't get it. What do they have to do with anything? They are victims, not culprits. Ridiculous!_

"Not exactly them, but rather their magic," the scarlet-haired Fairy hisses through gritted teeth. "They say it's too dangerous. It's not for the first time the Celestial Magic had been used by dark wizards."

Rogue's eyes open wide in shock as next words leave the girl's mouth.

"The Council is serious about taking away Lucy's and Yukino's Zodiac Keys."

 **A/N:** it's the forth chapter! Wow, I'm writing it pretty fast)) My exams are finally over, so I am having long awaited holidays! I am also going on a trip for a few weeks, which means that I won't update the story that frequently (a lot to see, a lot to do)), but I'll do my best not to keep you waiting for too long! That's a Promise!

I hope you liked this chapter. You can finally get a glimpse of a real plot line) I'm not good with cliffhangers, but I try to be mean xD

Thanks again for reading this story! I've never thought it'd get such a great response! He-he, some of you expected some _murder (cough, Erza, cough)_ here... **Surprise!** No killing this time xD

I still need all four of them to have some fun with. Maybe later...;) Tell me if you like these POVs change. I enjoy writing from different points of view. So, if you like someone's POV in particular, just tell me and I'll introduce his thoughts as well!

 _P.S. Grammar...! Where the fork are you?! Oh, right. You've never been here in the first place. Sorry._


	5. Blending

**Inversion**

 _by SparklyLarry_

Chapter Five

 **Blending**

Waffles and marshmallows bathing in hot chocolate. Fried bananas skying in ice-cream mountains. Lollipops sticking out of caramelized ground. That's what heavens look like. The Celestial Wizard realizes that the dream can't go on forever. Sooner or later, she would have to face the mess that's reality and forget about this sweet dreamland. Groaning, Lucy yawns sleepily, her eyes flutter open before shutting again due to the bright light. The blonde quickly pulls the blanker over the head, luxuriating in the warmth and comfort of her bed. _Her_ bed. Oh, how she missed it! The girl didn't get a chance to sleep in it after their return from the Games because of certain someone who had burnt his own house to a crisp and unceremoniously occupied _her_ sleeping place. _Bed, sweet bed! It's a bliss to have you back!_ The Celestial Mage happily inhales the aroma of fresh linens. She also feels her mouth watering as a few delicious scents from her tasty dream enter the reality and tease her nose. _If only I could get a bit of those yummy waffles soaked in chocolate... Yeap, I can even smell them frying... with a crispy crust..._ Lucy licks her lips, indulging in the aroma.

It suddenly strikes her that something is wrong. No, not something. Several things, actually. Firstly, how come the blonde was sleeping in _her_ bed and not on the coach? She has given up trying to fall asleep in her rightful place since Natsu moved in three days ago. The Dragon Slayer did not mind sharing the small bed, so he just flopped back after Lucy attempted to reclaim the place. Unlike him, she _was_ bothered with words 'sleeping together' and moved to the coach. Cracking her eyes open and peeking out of the blanket, the Celestial Wizard casts a suspicious look around the bedroom. Her pink-haired friend is nowhere to be seen, but there are pillows and a crumpled counterpane on the coach, which means that it was slept in. Confusion usurps her mind as she tries to comprehend the situation. The blonde spent most of the previous day with Levy, discussing every stupid trifle girls' find utterly significant. The talk included a lot of blushing, teasing, giggling and sobbing... and liters of hot chocolate. She wasn't drunk or anything, that's for sure! So, Lucy clearly remembers how she entered the apartment at about 10 p.m., took a quick shower and dropped asleep on the coach. _What a nice surprise... Okay, that's weird._

Then, there is the second thing that's been making her uneasy for the last six minutes. It _does_ smell like waffles. Lucy has no doubts that scents cannot transfer from dreamlands into real life; all in all, she is sober! But what the heck then? Alerted, the Celestial Mage pricks her ears? Merry sizzle comes from behind the kitchen door. _Oh, someone must be making breakfast. Great._ Shrugging and calming down, the blonde draws down the eyelids and snuggles into the blanket once again. An idea lazily crawls across her mind; she wonders who can be possibly cooking now. _Indeed, who? ..._

Wide awake, Lucy jumps out of the bed and rushes to the kitchen as if house were on fire... which is very probable at the moment... for she can think of only one person who is in charge of her waffle-irons now. _Why does Fate hate me so much?! Not my kitchen, too!_ The Celestial Mage almost smells the reek of disaster in the air. _Everything is so very ruined... How do I pay for the damage?! The landlady gonna kill me for the burnt kitchen... Yeap, I'm as good as dead._ Bracing herself and sucking in a sharp breath, enraged and terrified Lucy throws the door open.

...

 _Huh?_

To get a better idea of the blonde's reaction, you should imagine a clumsy stout in a pink ballerina's attire dancing gracefully in your house. Lucy is so flabbergasted that she even forgets to snicker. Her jaws slowly dropping, she dumbly gawks at shirtless Natsu in a green apron dotted with golden hearts. A spatula in one hand. A plate topped with hot waffles in the other. Aside from a curved brow, his face is blanker than a white wall. As if bored, her partner just shrugs at her and continues to nonchalantly set the table... like it's absolutely normal and there is nothing to gape at. The Fire Dragon Slayer silently rounds the stunned girl, bringing cups and a teapot.

"Good morning," finally, Natsu greets the Celestial Wizard as he has run out of things to put on the table. "Food tends to get cold if not eaten quick enough," he adds casually and takes a seat.

"You cooked," Lucy blurts out, secretly pinching her arm to make sure she is awake. _Okay... Too much funny things have been happening lately. Maybe, I am delirious or something?_ The salmon-haired male stares at her questioningly, his eyes slightly narrowed. "You. Cooked," the blonde spells it out for him, supposing that the Dragon Slayer missed her words the first time. The man, though, keeps on peering into her face in a very unnerving manner. "Damn it, Natsu!" her reserve can't hold the pressure of his gaze any longer and breaks with a snap under its weigh. "Since when do you cook?! I mean, cook like _cook_ , not burning everything around you!" Intense eyes do not leave her rigid form right away, lingering on the girl for a few more seconds.

"I don't." At last, onyx orbs take pity on her and move to the waffles. Sensing Lucy's puzzlement, Natsu inhales deeply and elaborates. "You cooked."

"What?!" It's like a meteorite hits her hard on the head. However, her friend ignores the shock in the blonde's voice and helps himself to a waffle, meticulously spreading cherries and dark chocolate over its crust.

"Yes. I have simply heated waffles up. You were the one to cook them yesterday evening when you returned," comes his nonchalant reply. Disbelief and perplexity are written across Lucy's features as she knits her brows. The blonde's memory refuses to unfold the moment of her making waffles. It's just blocked. How comes she can't remember this?

"B-but...! Why...?" the Celestial Mage stutters in embarrassment, hating to be seen in such a ridiculous situation, even by her best friend. Yummy waffles have absolutely evaded her mind as anxiety absorbed all the appetite.

"You were drunk," the salmon-haired male deadpans and takes a bite of his waffle. "You had a bath and then said that you needed waffles and started to make ones. You were asleep before you could try them, so I took you to the bed. That's it."

"No way..." Lucy whispers in horror, hands clasping her mouth. But she didn't drink anything strong with Levy... did she? The world crumbles around the blonde when a small chuckle suddenly rings out. Miserable and depressed, she watches her partner to conceal a wry smile while sipping tea.

"Bought it."

"What?" a single word flows off her tongue as the blonde gapes at the unruffled male.

"You bought it," sighing, Natsu spares her a brief amused glance. The blonde's mouth remains wide open when another quiet chuckle escapes him. "I cooked the waffles while you were asleep."

"Wh... I.. The... But... You jerk!" A long search for words ends in an abrupt exclamation; steam rolls out of Lucy's ears as she grabs a teaspoon and throws it at Natsu's forehead which leaves a red heart-shaped print there. "You idiot! For a second, I believed that I was really screwed not to remember last evening! Idiot!" huffing, she angrily sits down and glares daggers at her partner, who is uncharacteristically nonplussed by her tirade. Only slightly raised corners of lips give away his amusement. It's a relief that the Dragon Slayer refrains from mocking her any further; however, Lucy's wounded pride won't let him get away with his prank easily. A wicked idea pops in her mind. Pretending to grumble, the blonde pushes the table, so that Natsu's fork falls down. An exasperated glance hits her, but the Celestial Mage flings back a catty smile. As soon as her friend disappears under the table, Lucy peppers the male's waffle and salts his tea. She then helps herself to a crunchy waffle with chocolate. The girl is happily munching on it when the salmon-haired mage sits back. Her waffle tastes even better as the blonde imagines Natsu's distress at eating something very spicy... The male gets ready to take a bite... Lucy anticipates the upcoming reaction with great pleasure. _One... Two...!_

"Don't you want to try my waffle?" his hand freezes a few inches away from the mouth. Clenching teeth, the girl stifles a disappointed moan and puts on a plastic smile. Her waffle is suddenly much less sweeter that a few seconds ago.

"Nope, thanks, I've got one," she shakes her head impatiently, wishing Natsu to taste his _special_ waffle. The male, however, won't stop insisting. The peppered waffle is brought to her lips instead.

"But yours isn't seasoned," the Dragon Slayer arguments with an infuriating smile curling his mouth. Surprise can't stay away from the blonde's face, resulting in her eyes widening to the saucer's size and mouth forming a perfect 'o'. "Try it. Pepper, chocolate and cherry make a perfect composition." His next move creeps the girl out. As if to insure her, Natsu takes a bite and munches his waffle with an unperturbed face. Lucy watches him closely, trying to find the trick in the show. He can't possibly eat something like this without his eyes watering and his mouth firing! "So?" The special waffle awaits her bite once again. Cautiously, the Celestial Mage nips on it. Fireworks erupt on the tongue, sparkles bite her palate; the girl is about to spit out the nasty stinging food, but a firm hand clasps her mouth. An incinerating glare she sends the salmon-haired mage dies out when suddenly flames in the mouth cease to burn. Little by little, a wonderful tickling sensation runs up her tongue, the sweetness of cherries soothes scorches like a balsam. Revealing in the fantastic taste, Lucy raises brows in astonishment.

"Impossible!" she whispers, overwhelmed with exhilaration. A burning after-taste teases her lips and the Celestial Wizard quickly takes another bite from Natsu's special waffle. He gives another chortle, observing her with poorly concealed amusement. "It can't possibly taste that good!" A confused line than burrows the blonde's forehead. "How did you know I peppered your waffle?"

Natsu stares at her for a moment before leaning closer; Lucy inhales sharply as charcoal eyes dig into hers, his proximity taking her breath away. "Maybe I know you all too well?" Too nervous to utter a word, the Celestial Mage watches numbly as the Dragon Slayer leans back with a chuckle and takes a sip from his cup... Black orbs pop out of his head as he chokes with salted tea. "... or not," he mutters while wiping his mouth. Lucy can feel holes being dug on her and she giggles awkwardly.

"Sorry," the blonde says sheepishly, pouring him another cup of tea which Natsu takes with a deathly glare.

"Dragon Slayer's scent. Pepper has a very tart smell. I could have distinguished it even in coffee," shaking his head, the salmon-haired male explains patiently. Lucy's palm connects with her forehead, producing a loud smack. _Okay, that was stupid. Damn Dragon Slayers with their keen senses._ But what is really irritating, it is his smart smirk. _Why wouldn't he just laugh straight into my face?!_ The thing is that the Celestial Mage can't even yell at him properly, because no stinging remarks fly at her. All Natsu's mirth is veiled under a reserved smile which she hates. The girl can only choke down her irritation and grit teeth as she breakfasts on spicy waffles.

 _..._

The Light Dragon Slayer has seen many weird things in his life. Never before, however, has the concentration of odd happenings been that high. Fairy Tail is like a crazy salad, cooked with all kinds of insane stuff and seasoned with madness. This salad tastes funny, and Sting likes it. There is definitely something to flying mugs and tables, dancing bottles and soaring teeth. Occasionally, pants and shirts will land on somebody's face, some cakes will get smashed or smeared on the same face. In short, this guild is great. The blonde can't believe that he despised them. Life there is so very exciting! You can just throw a chair at a random guildmate and it will be absolutely normal! _Fork, I love it here!_ Dodging another tankard, Sting sends his iron club at some bulky man, enjoying the brawl very much. Natsu and real Gajeel are nowhere to be seen. The two will have to go to Sabertooth... The fact seemed a bit disturbing at first, but now Sting likes the idea of his _too_ well disciplined guild becoming... livelier. The Fairies will surely wreak havoc there. A devilish grin twists the Tiger's lips. It sounds great!

"Natsu..? What the heck are you doing?!"

"I guess, it's called reading."

A familiar intonation of boredom and 'why-won't-you-bug-off' attracts Sting's attention and his inquisitive gaze travels around the guild hall. He quickly finds bossy Blondie with her arms akimbo, bickering over some nonsense. In her shadow the Tiger can distinguish a silhouette of his currently salmon-haired partner. An open book rests in the male's laps, a right hand supports his head. Everything in his posture, from narrowed eyes to tensed shoulders, speaks of exasperation. The White Dragon Slayer knows his friend very well to immediately read his mood. Judging by the signs, the Celestial Wizard is effecting Rogue to an extreme extent. His twin is evidently at the brink of snapping. The observation makes Sting blink in surprise. But confusion on his face is quickly replaced by a playful grin. Meanwhile, Blondie huffs and tries to look at the book Rogue is reading. As to his partner, he purses lips in a stubborn manner and raises the damn volume out of her reach. The blonde Fairy, of course, is as persistent as he is and attempts to grab it, stretching over the Tiger. Sting lets out a wolfish whistle. The show is pretty interesting; the Light Dragon Slayer wouldn't mind to have some snacks to fully enjoy it. _Wow, wow... Not gonna let him forget this one!_ The girl is literally all over his twin, straddling him and suffocating him under her weigh.

"You dummy, show me the book!" Blondie whimpers in a feisty way as if saying 'I-gonna-whimper-all-the-more-unless-you-comply'. She's evidently aware of the Shadow Dragon Slayer's irritation, so the Fairy is skillfully pushing his buttons with a malicious glint shimmering in chocolate eyes.

"No." Well, that's all you get from his partner. But this brief reply agitates Sting all the more. Oh, yes... He clearly hears these dangerous notes in his voice. A dormant volcano is soon to explode.

"Tsk! You're being childish! It's not like you read everyday! Let me at least know what kind of books can be an interest to thick heads like yours! Please?" the Celestial Mage tries to reason with him... to no avail, of course. Rogue is adamant, like a rock. That's a more romantic simile, though. Sting prefers an old kind 'stubborn like a mule' saying.

"But then, you are being absolutely mature," the pink-haired Tiger counters her ferocious verbal attack with a fluent one. A vein pops out on Lucy's temple. _Yeap, Blondie is pissed._ Suddenly, a small hand claps the Light Dragon Slayer on the shoulder.

"Hey, Gajeel! Care to lay your bets?" the chestnut-haired Fairy casts a taunting smirk at him and empties her bottle at one confident gulp. "Heeh, I go for Lucy! Three bottles that she will wipe the floor with Natsu while reading his book!"

"On it! _Gee-hee,_ " Sting winks at the beauty and observes the two with an appraising look. Blondie is one hell of a chick, but his partner is a tough nut. _Don't fail me, buddy!_ "Five bottles that the blonde bimbo walks away with her bu...-" BANG. A loud crack drowns out the brawls noise. Two moans synchronically follow the sound. The White Dragon Slayer gapes at the pair in the corner. Both Lucy and Rogue have their butts on the floor, the heads buried between knees as strings of profane words stretch out of their mouthes. The damn book is happily soaring over the fighting mages. The pages flutter the last song of freedom before being reduced to ashes by someone's attack that fall down and form a neat pile in front of the two. "Fork."

"Fun killers," the card mage rolls her eyes and obviously wants to express her disappointment in colorful words, but just hiccups instead.

"Great," the salmon-haired Tiger hisses while rubbing his red forehead. The two must have collided or something...

"Well, it's your fault, Natsu! You should have just let me take a glance at the stupid book!" Lucy retorts, her eyes flaming. "What's up with you?!"

"Same question here," Rogue mutters tersely, receiving a smack at the shoulder.

"You're the one being obstinate!"

"You are the nosy one."

"Something's wrong with my nose, jerk?!"

"Nothing. Just a bit too long for my liking."

A moment is too perfect to miss. Stifling the laughter, Sting comes up to the bickering mages and mockingly reprimands the two. Yeap, he likes it here. "Now, now, love-birds! Why don't ya solve your family issues at comfy home in a cozy bedroom in a warm..."

"Shut up!" And so the darkness invades his mind.

...

They say you can always rely on your best friends, confide in them and seek comfort. The best friend is like a balsam to aching wounds. The description should be moderated if you talk about the Twin Dragon Slayers' comradeship. Rogue massages his fist that hurts like hell after punching his currently metallic partner. He trusts his best friend, no doubting that. The White Dragon Slayer will always stick to his side in battles and won't betray him. That's also a fact. Then, there is another case. According to the Law of Fate and Destiny, Sting is always the one of the Twins to look like an idiot. His big ego rarely does anything to help in the matter. Sometimes, however, Fate has a mood swing and fools with the two, reversing the partners' roles. That's when the blonde Tiger triumphs, coming up with thousands of ways to make up for all the times he made of a fool of himself. Sting's goal is to embarrass Rogue and Rogue's job is to knock him out before both of them end up being morons.

"You know, lately Gajeel gets on my nerves too often," Lucy, who is still pretty pissed at him, comments at Sting's prostrated body that has crushed a pyramid of barrels. A glare is then viciously thrown at another Tiger in disguise. "Just like you. You've been a real pain in the ass, Natsu. When I saw you with the book, I thought you were going to have some fun burning it or something... I was really excited to learn that you can actually _enjoy_ reading! Jerk, you could have told me about your secret hobby! We can discuss books and have arguments and...-"

"Lucy, you know I despise reading." The Shadow Dragon Slayer understood that much from his fellows' reaction to his suggestion to search for information on their predicament in the library. As soon as the words slipped off of his mouth, Rogue was pinned to the spot by three meaningful pairs of eyes. He just sighed in submission, realizing that Gajeel and Natsu weren't much better than Sting and couldn't stay in the book's vicinity for more than half a minute. So, the Tiger was kind of a volunteer to read something about bodies' exchange. The book he had difficulties finding and obtaining (via Sting who managed to interrogate the dreamy blue-haired bookworm) wasn't difficult to comprehend. But then, the certain Celestial Mage just had to pry and ruin everything. Rogue moans inwardly as he looks askance at a pile of ashes that used to be his book. _Fate is having fun once again._

"But you _were_ reading!" Lucy argues stubbornly, earning another exasperated glare from the Tiger. _Who is being persistent now?_ "Or were you just feasting your eyes upon Times New Roman?"

"It is not really worth reading. I was just curious," he lies smoothly, hoping that the girl will finally stop nosing into his business. Of course, Rogue asked for too much from Fate. Chocolate eyes become suspicious slits, lips curl into an alarming grin. The Shadow Dragon Slayer can only prepare himself for what is coming.

"Oh. Looks like somebody prefers dirty fiction!" the blonde titters while nudging him suggestively. He would have rolled his eyes and come back with a terse retort, but someone else heard their little dialogue and decided to rudely join it without an invitation.

"You're kidding, right? _Natsu_ likes bed scenes?!" the bluenette gasps in astonishment, her eyes even wider than usual. The urge to face palm is impossible to contain. Salamander gains the Shadow Dragon Slayer's respect every minute he spends in the blonde's company. _How does he get along with this girl? I am amazed. She makes my life even more miserable than Sting does._

"Yeap," the Celestial Wizard nods in the affirmative, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Surprising, huh?"

"Wow, I've never thought that Natsu is in for reading this kind of... literature..." the mage named Levy murmurs in shock, but still loud enough for another Fairy to catch some intriguing words.

"What's Natsu in for?" the mage with short white hair inquires innocently, her big eyes gazing at him in curiosity. "Reading? I didn't know you liked books!"

"Not just any books," Levy whispers something (that's not difficult to guess what exactly) into the other girl's ear, causing her giggle. Surprisingly, her cheeks are barely tinted.

"Bed scenes? Really!"

"Who said bed scenes?" the famous drunkard of Fairy Tail makes her way to the blushing and cackling females and a morose shadow that is Rogue in the centre. She hiccups and flings an arm around the Dragon Slayer. The pungent smell hits his nose and he cringes in disgust. Never again would he get drunken. Never ever again. "Aaahhh, Natsu, you little playboy!" the card mage purrs alluringly, attracting a few more interested glances. The Tiger just covers the face with his hand. _Here it goes..._

"Playboy and bed scenes? What are you discussing there?!"

"Did I hear 'Natsu'?"

"What the hell are you talking about?! Playing games with boys?"

"Was it 'Natsu in bed' or I've misheard?"

"I'm pretty sure it was 'Natsu is one hell of a playboy in bed with a book', idiots."

"Nope, it was about writing a novel about some playboy who is like Natsu."

"Lucy is writing a novel about Natsu?"

"Lucy and Natsu are WHAT?!"

"Did you say 'bed'?"

"Are we playing Drinking Games today or what?"

"In bed with Natsu? He is a real man!"

"What?!"

"Babies?"

"I thought it was Lucy."

"Naughty brats, if you ask me."

"Yeap, I believe they read about it first, ya know..."

"That's not manly!"

"Wow."

"Babies?"

"Do you think he can lend this book to me later?"

"Hold on a sec, I thought Lucy is writing it."

"She must be writing hot stuff after all the experience."

"Babies!"

"I wanna read this!"

"Nah, Natsu is screwed. Can you imagine him...-"

Drowning out this annoying tittle-tattle, Rogue instead focuses on the Celestial Wizard who has gotten the taste of her own medicine. All the stupid talks have no effect on the Tiger; he can't care less what Fairy Tail mages believe Natsu to be or do. Lucy is another case. Judging by her stuttering, gasping and furious blushing, she is very self-conscious at the moment. Some very suggestive remarks turn the blonde's head into a ripe tomato that's ready to burst. The situation has evidently gone out of her control. It isn't the Shadow Dragon Slayer who is dying out of embarrassment. It's the Celestial Mage. _Should I sympathize with her now?_ The rational part of his mind screams at him that the blonde deserves it for being mean. Another part, a very small and insignificant one, timidly hints that she is not to blame. All in all, it is Rogue who causes her to react in such a way. Heaving a deep sigh, the Tiger frowns at the fretting girl. Her attempts to reassure guildmates are not just futile. If anything, Lucy's pitiful explanations only add fuel to the flame. Somebody mentions 'experience' and 'relationship', and the Dragon Slayer can't help wondering whether Salamander and the blonde have any. The image of the Celestial Wizard in a bath-towel made... quite an impression on the Tiger. _I don't think that friends, even very close ones, will freely walk with no clothes in front of each other... Or is it another distinctive feature of Fairy Tail?_ He then casts a skeptical look at the naked ice mage who is laughing at 'Natsu'. Maybe bath-towels are the height of decency in this guild...

"Ha, Flame Pants! Who is the pervert now?!" the same ice mage, who is probably Gray Fullbuster, calls out challengingly with a smug smirk stretching his lips.

"Gray! Not you, too!" the overtinted blonde moans in frustration. "You burst into my apartment just like Natsu!" _What?_

"What?!" a hysterical screech sounds his inward question aloud. The azure-haired mage with madness glinting in the watery eyes then pushes everyone away and pins the Celestial Wizard to the wall, threatening to throttle her. "How many times have you locked my dear Gray in your house?! What have you been doing to him?! You will never be able to make him fall for you! My darling is stronger than Natsu! It takes more than a pretty face and huge...-"

"Juvia... Can't... breath..." Lucy wheezes out as the rain girl is strangling her. Meanwhile, the Shadow Dragon Slayer just stares at everything with a blank expression, not sure how to react to his surroundings. That must be what stands for the culture shock.

"Aha! So, one man is not enough for you! You want both fire and ice! You may have seduced Natsu, but I won't let you dishonour my sweet and noble Gray!" the bluenette continues to shout in rage, each word coloring the blonde's cheeks. To say that Rogue is confused is beyond understatement. No, his mind is utterly muddled up in the web of Fairy Tail's gossips, speculations and teasing. At this point, the male is close to believing that _he_ , or rather Salamander, and the Celestial Wizard are in a mutually sadistic kind-of-romantic relationship that resembles one between a sly cat and a rabid dog. One moment the blonde is all too concerned about her _partner_ (or a friend, lover, comrade... however it's called) and walks in a towel, the next she drives him mad and makes his life miserable. _What a mess..._

"Tsk, I've been always telling ya they're doing naughty things there!" the card mage chimes in happily. "Don't buy this childish disguise! Natsu is a grown-up boy, right?" winking at him, Cana nudges Rogue and wriggles her brows playfully. _Everyone here is a copy of Sting._ "Right?!" It turns out that her question wasn't rhetorical. "Heey! No need to be shy!" the drinking demon continues to harass the two in a singsong voice.

"We are not shy!" finally free from the rain girl, Lucy pants out.

"Oh?!" the drunkard raises a brow as a devilish smirk tags her lips. Blinking, the blonde slowly realizes what she has said and starts to furiously shake her head.

"N-no, no, no! That's not what I mean!"

"Not what?"

"That!"

"What that?"

"I don't know! You are insinuating... things!"

"What things?"

At this point, Rogue's head is close to exploding. The Tiger doesn't even recognize _his_ voice right away when it blares out. "Are you talking about m...- Natsu?" The mage everyone believes to be the Shadow Dragon Slayer stands next to his blonde guildmate in the doors, a curious expression dominating his facial features. The real Rogue refrains from smacking his forehead. One more face-palm, and his front will be as pink as his hair. _Salamander is just the right person to complete the mess that is today..._

"More like Natsu _and_ Lucy," somebody snickers from the crowd and cackling Cana pushes the Celestial Wizard towards the Shadow Dragon Slayer. The two collide with a moan and fall down in a heap of tangled arms and legs. Scarlet eyes immediately shoot at Rogue, fury splashing in them like a sea of lava. He finds it quite unusual to see so many emotions distorting his face. They are better to be kept inside... because now _he_ looks like an idiot, waving his hands in anger and roaring.

"Hey, you! I need to talk to you before we leave!" The Tiger cringes upon noticing an ugly toothy smirk stretching _his_ lips. He does resemble a hybrid of Natsu and Sting... the sight that sends shivers down his spine. Salamander hovers over the vegetable salad that is tomato-red Lucy and aubergine-dark Rogue like a mad cook, glaring daggers and butcher knives at the Tiger.

"Good... I would like to have a word with you... as well..." the Shadow Dragon Slayer pants out from under the blonde. _There is something I planned to do but didn't get a chance..._ Grumbling and cursing, the currently dark-haired fire mage nods and walks out of the guild.

"I'll be waiting outside!" he cries to him before slamming the doors. Evidently, the Fire Dragon Slayer is pissed off... Rogue has a bad feeling about the _talk._ His eyes secretly slide to the Celestial Wizard who is desperately trying to untwine their limbs and get up. No doubt there, her name will be the first word he hears from Dragneel. Knowing Salamander, he won't be quiet... No, the moment he opens his big mouth, all Magnolia will be aware of their _talk._ Another drama is the last thing the Tiger needs now. A picture of Fairy Tail gossiping about the 'love triangle' burns in his mind like chili. This image is closely followed by another one; the same rumors weaving in Sabertooth... then in Fiore... _I am not letting this happen._

Without superfluous pondering, Rogue grabs the blonde's hand and, ignoring her indignant 'hey!', walks out of the guild. Dozens of prying eyes are gnawing their backs, but the male refuses to acknowledge them. Upon noticing the Celestial Mage, Salamander points an accusing finger at the two. "I meant an eye to eye talk, pal! No Lucy, get it?"

"Excuse me!" the said blonde folds arms on the chest. "If you have something to tell Natsu, you can do it while I am here. We are partners and have no secrets from each other," she concludes with a note of finality in her stern voice, leaving no place for argument. The Fire Dragon Slayer can only open and close his mouth in an impotent anger. Smirking inwardly, Rogue gives him a curt nod, confirming Lucy's words.

"Moreover, I want to talk about something concerning Lucy, so her presence is indispensable," the Tiger adds nonchalantly, causing both Fairies to look at him in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Yes." The Shadow Dragon Slayer then turns to meet Salamander's look that has lost its ferocity and holds nothing but bafflement. _That must be done one way or another... And it must be done by_ me _directly_. "Rogue," it sounds strange to say his own name, but he dismisses the thought. "Do you remember what happened a few days ago in Crocus... before the dragons' invasion?"

Crimson eyes widen for a second before narrowing. " _You_ should be the one remembering, _Natsu,_ " the fire mage drawls out. "'coz _I_ do. So what?"

"Then, you certainly remember something you must be doing right now," the Tiger continues in a solemn tone, his fists clenched. He didn't want to do it via Natsu. It is a personal matter. Still, that's better than nothing. Both Fairies stare at him as if there is a bush blooming on his head.

"Huh?" the two wonder in unison, their eyes fluttering in puzzlement.

"Apologize," Rogue elaborates calmly, his gaze shifting to the astonished Celestial Wizard.

"Huh?" the same sound leaves their mouths once again.

"You killed her," the Tiger should be surprised at how composed he speaks. It is easy, much easier than he has expected, to reprimand himself. All of a sudden, blame tastes so sweet. He can't have enough of it. A strange surge of thrill and joy hits him as Rogue continues in an even voice. "Lucy saw herself dying from your hand, Rogue. The least you can do now is to apologize."

The two are rendered speechless as they cast quick glances at each other and then lock their dumbfounded eyes on the Shadow Dragon Slayer. Silence. Damn silence that gets on his nerves. _Won't he just say 'I'm so sorry' and be done with that?_

"No." Lucy is the first to come back to her senses. She shakes her head slowly, chocolate eyes watering, but she manages to hold back tears. It's Rogue's turn now to be puzzled. "It wasn't him who killed Lucy, Natsu. And it wasn't me who died. Those people came from a completely different life, a different world. Future Lucy... she was so broken... I could hardly see myself in the girl. As to Future Rogue... I remember those sly eyes and venomous smirk... and I can also recollect the same despair in his look... the same hopelessness that was in Lucy's fatigued gaze. People from that other future suffered. The pain of loss changed them. They were not us. Rogue here is not that person. And neither am I, Natsu. He must not apologize."

"Yes, he must," gulping, the Shadow Dragon Slayer retorts harshly. Whatever nonsense the Celestial Wizard was talking about, it doesn't change a thing. He was him. Future or past, it's no difference. It was _him_. And it was _her_ dying. The glimpses of his future self have been haunting him in nightmares. Rogue saw him killing the blonde Fairy. He saw her bleeding out on the marble floor. He felt himself frowning at realizing that he murdered the wrong Celestial Mage. His future and present combined in his mind, allowing Rogue a glimpse into his other self's mind. _It was me._

"No." Natsu's stern reply astonishes the Tiger all the more. Lucy's forgiveness he should have anticipated, but Salamander's...? " _I_ am my present self, not some freak from the future. I haven't done anything wrong. I helped everyone to fight dragons. I don't want this hell to happen. There is nothing to apologize for," the Fire Dragon Slayer finishes determinedly, flashing the two of them a goofy Natsu-smile.

"You are modest, aren't you...?" the girl mumbles under her breath. Rogue just lets out a deep sigh. Salamander has good intentions at heart... but the Fairy has just made him sound like an impertinent self-confident jerk who doesn't even try to be grateful for being forgiven.

"Still, you...-"

The Tiger's words are lost in the sudden uproar that comes from the guild. Confused, the three enter the building to find the reason of the troubled shouts. There in the centre stand two men. Rogue narrows his eyes upon recognizing them from the Games. They are from the Magic Council. A bad feeling is crawling inside of him as he notes sombre expressions on their face.

"Lucy Heartfilia." The Dragon Slayer's heart falls upon hearing this name. He already knows what's coming. And it makes him feel not only helpless, but guilty all the more. His future self did so much more than just killed future Lucy. He ruined her present. "We are here to escort you to the Magic Council as the Chairman demands your presence," the one in the glasses announces morosely. Something resembling regret can be detected in his voice, but Rogue is too engrossed in his own thoughts to notice it. He has to act quickly... and he does.

...

"What are you doing, Natsu!?" coughing and gagging, Lucy rasps out as toxic smoke hampers her breathing. Her eyes are watering from all the fire that is licking the guild. The sudden eruption has dumbfounded everyone. But even more confusing was the Fire Dragon Slayer, who was emitting the infernal flames that engulfed the building. A few others are also gaping at him in utter shock.

"What the hell, Hot Brains?! You've ruined the guild!"

"The FORK?!"

"Are you insane, Natsu?!"

A strange grin mars her partner's lips. "Whom do you call Natsu? The weakling you call Salamander is far away from here."

Another wave of hot flames bursts out of the male's hands and washes away the last supporting pillars. The roof screeches like a wounded owl. People scream and shout.

There isn't darkness that envelope the Celestial Wizard then. No. There is blinding brightness.

 **A/N:** late update, sorry! Well, I was traveling across the Andes for three days. _Three amazing days_ without Internet, hot water, electricity and other privileges urban people have. How do I feel? That's such a thrilling experience! Well, my feet hurt like hell, but I am so very inspirited!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter! Thanks for all the feedback! I hope I don't disappoint you guys! This chapter isn't that funny, but it is essential for the main plot. The next one must be fun, though. I'll try to update soon)

 _P.S. There might be a few mistakes. Well, there are definitely some mistakes... Fine, fine! There are tons of them! Forgive me...? Pretty please...?_


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